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THE  SPOTTER 


THE  SPOTTER 

A  ROMANCE  OF  THE 
OIL  REGION 


"By  WILLIAM  VT.  CANFIELD 

Author  of  "  Legends  of  the  Iriquois" 


R.  F.  FENNO  &  COMPANY 

18  EAST  SEVENTEENTH  STREET,       -      NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHT,  1907,  BY 
R.   F.    FENNO  &  COMPANY 


ps 

A3.iT.2- 


In  Memory  of 
Mary  Lisbeth  Canfield, 

a  gentle  critic 

who  watched  with  deepening  interest 
the  growth  of  these  pages. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   I.                              Page 
Resisting  a  Temptation 9 

CHAPTER    II. 
The  Coming  of  the  Drill 16 

CHAPTER    III. 
The  Newly-Rich 24 

CHAPTER    IV. 
The  March  of  Development 37 

CHAPTER   V. 
An  Instrument  of  Providence 44 

CHAPTER    VI. 
An  Agent  of  the  Instrument 52 

CHAPTER   VII. 
A  Temptation  Embraced 59 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
A  Warning  Unheeded » 69 

CHAPTER    IX. 
A  Total  Surrender 79 

CHAPTER   X. 
Mr.  Tubbs  Decides  to  Invest 90 

CHAPTER    XL 
The  Bubble  Bursts 102 

CHAPTER    XII. 
Mrs.  Wheeler  Understands "4 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XIII.                            Page 
Chance  Meeting  of  Old  Friends 123 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
The  Appointment  at  La  Vintage 135 

CHAPTER    XV. 
Mrs.  Wheeler  Locks  the  Door 144 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
Madame  and  Jeannette  in  Comedy 152 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
Monsieur's  Unpleasant  Forenoon 159 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 
Jeannette  Plays  Her  Part 168 

CHAPTER    XIX. 
Old  Friends  in  a  Strange  Place 177 

CHAPTER    XX. 
Mr.  Tubbs  Receives  a  Letter 185 

CHAPTER    XXI. 
The  Commune  at  Work 192 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
A  Ride  in  the  Country 202 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 
A  Discovery  at  Dawn 218 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 
A  Sequel  to  the  Comedy 228 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
In  the  Boyhood  Home 235 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   XXVI.                           Page 
Where  Are  the  Vanished  Years  ? 241 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 
Betsey  Paints  a  Picture 251 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 
Doctor  Ross  Sells  Out 260 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 
Mr.  Tubbs  in  Business 265 

CHAPTER   XXX. 
The  Spotter 272 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 
The  Moonshiner 277 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 
Anxious  Hours 284 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 
Coon  Discovers  a  Secret 297 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 
Moonshiner  and  Spotter 307 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 
The  Story  in  the  Rocks 318 

CHAPTER    XXXVI. 
Lanphere  Writes  a  Note 324 

CHAPTER    XXXVII. 
Why  Oil  Prices  Changed 331 

CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 
One  Afternoon 342 

CHAPTER   XXXIX. 
The  Wedding  Day 353 


THE  SPOTTER* 


CHAPTEK  I. 

RESISTING   A   TEMPTATION. 

"I  DON'T  see  why  you  should  have  objections  to 
leasing  your  farm,  Mr.  Cameron,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher, 
somewhat  awkwardly  raising  her  gold-rimmed  eye 
glasses  to  the  ridge  of  a  red  and  pudgy  nose,  and 
gazing  curiously  at  the  man  to  whom  she  had  spoken. 

"Perhaps  not,  ma'am,"  replied  Cameron.  "I  have 
heard  that  some  people  are  able  to  see  in  a  painting 
only  flat  streaks  of  color." 

"I  didn't  say  anything  about  paintings,  did  I?" 
asked  the  woman,  innocent  of  the  sarcasm.  "I  was 
talking  about  your  farm,  which  you  ought  to  sell,  or 
lease,  now  that  you  have  the  chance,  and  give  your 
wife  and  daughter  the  opportunity  to  take  their 
places  in  a  circle  where  they  would  shine.  It's  your 
duty,  Mr.  Cameron,  and  you  know  it." 

"Mrs.  Cameron  and  Agnes  adorn  their  home, 
9 


10  Cfie  Spotter, 

ma'am,  and  are  welcome  members  of  the  circle  in 
which  we  have  moved,"  insisted  Cameron. 

"Well,  there  won't  be  any  circle  here  for  them  to 
adorn  very  long,  Mr.  Cameron,  and  you  know  it. 
Now  look  at  the  matter  sensibly.  Here's  our  farm  of 
only  a  hundred  and  ten  acres,  and  Fisher  sold  it  out 
right  for  seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  The  Tubbses 
have  sold  their  eighty  acres  for  fifty  thousand  and  a 
sixteenth  royalty.  They  were  offered  a  twelfth  the 
first  time  the  man  came  to  see  them,  but  Mrs.  Tubbs 
said  she  wouldn't  let  Tubbs  sell  for  less  than  a  six 
teenth,  and  the  man  never  hesitated  a  minute,  but 
took  them  up  on  the  spot.  The  Nortons  have  leased 
for  a  big  pile  cash  down  and  a  royalty  that  will  bring 
them  more  money  every  month  than  they  ever  saw 
before.  Sam  Edgert,  for  his  place  with  its  old,  tum 
ble-down  buildings  and  land  that  won't  raise  white 
beans,  got  a  clean  hundred  thousand.  He's  going  to 
move  his  family  away  next  week.  Everybody  else 
in  the  neighborhood  has  either  sold  out  or  leased  for 
big  money,  and  they  are  getting  out  of  this  section 
just  as  fast  as  they  can,  and  going  to  places  where 
they  may  cut  a  dash." 

"No  doubt,  ma'am.  I  expect  they  all  will  do 
that" 

"Of  course,  they  will,  because  they've  got  the  cash 
to  do  it  with,  and  that's  more  than  most  of  the  folks 
in  Bradan  and  Oleford  can  say — leastwise,  lots  of 
them  that's  credited  with  loads  of  money  don't  look 


Cfje  ^pottet*  11 

as  though  they  had  any  to  spare.  Why,  last  Sunday 
me  and  Fisher  went  to  their  high-falutin'  fashion 
able  'Piscopal  church  at  Bradan.  I  wanted  to  see 
whether  they  had  any  real  style  about  them,  and 
there  wasn't  mor'n  two  women  in  the  church  that 
had  any  jewelry  on  to  speak  of.  I  didn't  see  but  one 
watch  chain  besides  mine,  and  that  was  a  skimpy 
thing.  Hardly  one  of  them  wore  mor'n  one  ring,  or 
possibly  two,  and  I  didn't  see  a  bracelet  or  necklace 
in  the  whole  church." 

"It  must  have  been  very  dispiriting,  ma'am.  I 
really  don't  see  how  you  could  enjoy  the  service  un 
der  such  circumstances." 

She  gave  him  a  quick  glance,  but  the  impenetrable 
face  of  the  Scotchman  betrayed  no  clue  as  to  whether 
he  had  spoken  in  jest  or  in  earnest. 

"Well,  at  any  rate,  I  let  them  know  that  there  was 
folks  who  had  lived  within  fifty  miles  of  them  all 
their  lives  who  was  just  as  good  as  anybody  at 
Bradan.  When  the  meeting  was  over,  Fisher 
stopped  and  asked  a  man  how  much  they  rented  their 
best  pews  for  by  the  year.  The  man  hunted  up  the 
sexton,  who  pointed  out  a  pew  pretty  well  up  in  front 
which  he  said  we  could  have  for  a  hundred  dollars. 
'Ain't  you  got  anything  better'n  that  ?'  I  asked.  He 
said  there  wasn't  any  better  pew  in  the  church,  and 
that  it  was  one  of  the  highest  in  price.  'Well,'  I 
said,  loud  enough  for  a  lot  of  them  to  hear,  'we  ex 
pect  to  travel  a  good  deal  and  may  not  be  here  all  the 


12  C&e  Spotter* 

time  to  use  it,  but  if  it  is  the  best  you've  got,  we'll 
take  it  so  we  can  have  it  when  we  return  from 
abroad.'  I  thought  I  would  let  'em  know  that  we 
didn't  care  for  expense." 

Cameron  smiled  and  nodded  slightly,  as  if  in  ap 
proval  of  her  course. 

"You  might  just  as  well  be  in  the  swim  as  the 
rest  of  your  neighbors,  Cameron,"  she  continued. 
"Fisher  says  that  you  own  two  hundred  acres,  and 
that  you  don't  owe  a  dollar  on  it.  You  could  sell  it 
for  an  awful  pile,  and  go  out  into  the  world  where 
folks  would  be  bowing  and  scraping  to  you  on  every 
hand.  You  could  travel,  as  me  and  Fisher  are  going 
to  do,  or  you  could  go  to  the  Assembly,  or  be  some 
other  high  officer.  They  say  any  man  can  get  office 
if  he  has  a  little  money  to  spend.  But  if  you  hang 
on  much  longer,  you  may  lose  it  all,  for  the  land  has 
been  leased  on  every  side,  and  when  wells  are  sunk 
on  the  next  door  territory  they're  likely  to  drain 
yours,  and  then  it  won't  be  worth  shucks." 

"It  will  remain  still  as  good  a  farm  as  it  is  to-day, 
Mrs.  Fisher." 

"Oh,  pshaw,  Cameron,  you're  childish!  If  you 
don't  want  the  money  for  yourself,  you  have  no 
right  to  keep  Mrs.  Cameron  and  Agnes  from  enjoy 
ing  it.  I'm  sorry  they  ain't  here,  so  I  could  spunk 
them  up  in  the  way  of  persuading  you  to  take  a  good 
offer  when  one  is  knocking  at  your  door,  and  not 
hold  off  till  you  lose  it  all." 


Cfje  Spotter,  is 

"Mrs.  Fisher,"  said  Cameron  with  sudden  ear 
nestness,  "I  suppose  it  would  be  quite  impossible  for 
me  to  make  you  understand  that  I  do  not  wish  either 
to  sell  or  to  lease  my  farm  at  any  price,  now  or  here 
after.  With  much  labor  and  care  this  place  has 
been  brought  to  the  perfection  in  which  you  see  it, 
and  here  we  have  all  the  comforts  of  that  simple  life 
which  pleases  us.  Great  riches  poured  into  our  laps 
could  make  us  neither  more  independent  nor  con 
tented.  Indeed,  we  scarcely  would  know  what  to  do 
with  wealth  which  we  had  not  won,  for  we  are  not 
accustomed  to  idleness  and  fashion,  and  in  the  at 
tempt  to  live  that  way  we  would  be  most  unhappy. 
In  the  grasp  for  the  glittering  halo,  the  substance, 
which  we  love,  would  escape. 

"I  do  not  know  whether  you  have  taken  the  trouble 
to  come  to  the  old  neighborhood  from  friendly  inter 
ests,  or  have  been  sent  here  by  those  who  are  anxious 
to  procure  the  lease  of  the  Cameron  farm.  I  will 
think  that  your  motive  has  been  entirely  innocent, 
and  thank  you  for  the  advice,  though  declining  to 
follow  it.  I  am  sorry  Mr.  Fisher  did  not  accompany 
you.  Give  him  my  kind  regards,  and  say  to  him  that 
when  he  tires  of  the  grand  ways  of  the  rich,  and 
when  his  eyes  weary  from  gazing  upon  great  sights, 
to  come  to  the  valley.  I  will  fit  him  out  in  clothing 
that  will  not  be  injured  if  he  lies  at  full  length  upon 
the  ground,  and  with  a  basket,  filled  with  home-cook 
ing,  we  will  go  out  along  some  of  the  trout  streams 


14:  cfje  Spotter, 

where  we  have  passed  many  a  happy  day,  and  be 
once  more  the  same  old  neighbors." 

The  woman  looked  at  him  a  moment  with  puzzled 
expression.  "You  are  a  queer  man,  Mr.  Cameron," 
she  said  at  length. 

"Yes,  I  suppose  that  is  true.  We  ever  are  won 
dering  why  others  may  not  see  things  from  our 
standpoint.  To  me,  it  is  without  explanation  that 
people  from  choice  should  desert  the  real,  substan 
tial  and  wholesome  for  that  which  has  in  it  only  the 
ceaseless  quest  for  the  new,  the  showy  and  the 
frothy.  To  you,  it  is  equally  inexplicable  that  one 
should  wish  to  remain  in  this  isolated  place ;  or  why 
I  should  love  the  hills  and  valleys,  the  fields,  the 
trees  back  yonder  in  the  woods,  the  cattle  there  in 
the  pasture,  and  the  horses  here  in  the  barn.  Why, 
just  look  at  them,  ma'am." 

Cameron  put  his  hands  beside  his  mouth,  forming 
the  bell  of  a  trumpet,  and  gave  a  call. 

"O-o-o-o-o,  s-o-o-o  k-e-e-e !"  it  rang  out  across  the 
meadow,  and  when  it  came  to  the  pasture  the  cattle 
raised  their  heads  and  listened  for  its  repetition ;  and 
then,  turning  from  the  rich  feed,  tossed  their  horns 
and  hurried  away  down  the  lane,  jostling  and  crowd 
ing  in  the  race  to  see  which  should  come  first  to  the 
gate  in  answer  to  the  master's  voice.  A  collie,  that 
had  been  lying  in  the  shade  a  few  paces  away,  sat  up 
and  watched  the  procession  with  all  the  interest  of  a 
well-taught  dog  who  knows  that  he  may  at  any  mo 
ment  be  called  upon  to  take  part  in  the  proceedings. 


€&e  Spotter,  is 

"There,  ma'am,  I'd  rather  enjoy  that  sight  than 
all  the  parties  and  balls,  receptions,  theatres  and  so 
ciety  events  in  the  most  brilliant  metropolis  of  fash 
ion  and  splendor  in  the  world.  ~No  pleasure  which 
any  number  of  thousands  could  buy  would  recom 
pense  me  for  its  loss." 

Though  Mrs.  Fisher  was  not  a  woman  of  fine  sen 
timent,  she  could  not  be  wholly  insensible  to  the  deep 
feeling  which  Cameron  expressed,  nor  was  she  un 
mindful  of  the  fact  that  he  had  the  argument  on  his 
side.  For  nearly  three  months  she  had  been  engaged 
in  the  attempt  to  make  the  plunge  into  the  social  cir 
cles  of  Bradan,  and  in  so  doing  she  had  met  with  ex 
periences  which  somewhat  cooled  her  ardor.  Never 
theless,  she  made  the  trip  to  Cameron  farm  upon  the 
suggestion  of  her  husband,  and  at  the  request  of  some 
of  the  men  who  were  attempting  to  secure  a  lease  or 
negotiate  the  purchase  of  this  splendid  oil  territory. 
As  a  disinterested  friend  and  old  neighbor,  she  ex 
pected  to  meet  with  some  success.  She  would  make 
one  more  effort,  and,  as  she  stepped  forward  to  her 
carriage,  she  turned  and  said : 

"Mr.  Cameron,  with  the  money  you  could  get  from 
your  farm " 

"Good-day,  ma'am,  and  pardon  me  for  not  waiting 
to  hear  what  I  could  do  with  it.  My  cattle  are  won 
dering  why  I  called  them  and  am  not  at  the  gate  to 
let  them  through." 

And  he  turned  and  walked  rapidly  to  the  lane. 


16 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  COMING  OF  THE  DRILL. 

DUNCAN  CAMERON  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  at 
the  time  of  the  opening  of  our  story  was  in  his  forty- 
second  year.  His  parents  had  been  well-to-do,  but 
before  he  was  out  of  his  teens,  he  was  left  an  orphan 
and  his  property  was  given  in  charge  of  a  guardian. 
Duncan  chose  the  profession  of  civil  engineering,  and 
just  after  his  majority  he  entered  his  last  term  at  col 
lege.  A  few  days  later  he  received  a  letter  from 
America  that  changed  the  course  of  his  life,  for  he 
left  college  at  once,  converted  his  little  holding  into 
money  at  a  considerable  sacrifice,  and  came  to  this 
country  as  soon  as  he  could  complete  his  arrange 
ments. 

Three  years  previously,  Andrew  Laing,  with  his 
wife  and  daughter  Alice,  neighbors  of  the  Camerons, 
left  their  Scottish  home  and  came  to  America  with 
the  hope  of  bettering  their  condition.  Young  Cam 
eron  and  Alice  had  been  lovers  from  the  time  they 
were  first  at  school,  and  it  was  well  understood  that 
when  Duncan  had  gained  his  profession,  he  would 


C&e  Spotter,  17 

follow  the  Laings  to  America  and  marry  Alice.  The 
letter  which  came  to  him  brought  news  of  the  death 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Laing  within  a  few  weeks  of  each 
other.  Alice,  he  was  told,  had  taken  service  in  the 
home  of  some  people  of  his  own  nationality.  The 
thought  of  her  loneliness  and  bereavement  drove 
other  things  from  his  mind,  and  soon  after  Alice  re 
ceived  the  announcement  that  he  was  coming,  he 
was  by  her  side.  Their  marriage  took  place  within  a 
few  weeks,  and  then  for  eight  years  Cameron  pur 
sued  his  profession  with  fair  success.  In  the  course 
of  his  work,  Duncan  met  the  opportunity  for  pur 
chasing  a  fine  tract  of  land  in  one  of  the  richest  val 
leys  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  so  the  Cameron 
farm  came  into  his  possession.  With  the  money 
saved  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  Cameron  was 
able  to  make  many  improvements  upon  his  farm,  and 
in  a  brief  time  he  surrounded  himself  with  those 
comforts  which  come  only  to  those  American  farmers 
who  toil  industriously  and  intelligently  for  a  term  of 
many  years. 

Cameron  was  a  student,  a  thinker,  a  lover  of  na 
ture  in  every  form.  He  was  happy  and  contented 
with  his  home,  for  there  he  found  independence  and 
freedom.  The  farmers  in  the  neighborhood  saw  that 
he  was  ever  a  busy  man,  and  while  they  could  spend 
half  a  summer's  day  talking  to  little  or  no  purpose 
over  a  rail  fence,  Cameron  had  work  to  do — and  his 
fields,  buildings  and  stock  showed  the  result  of  his 


18 


attention.  It  was  but  natural  that  these  curious  old 
Pennsylvania  families  should  think  that  "the  Scotch 
man,"  as  Cameron  was  commonly  called,  was  alto 
gether  too  painstaking  with  his  crops  and  stock,  and 
was  foolish  in  his  treatment  of  his  wife  and  daugh 
ter,  for  Duncan  was  at  all  times  gallant,  gentlemanly, 
considerate  and  unselfish  toward  Alice.  His  first 
thoughts  were  ever  of  her — and  his  next  of  their 
daughter,  Agnes. 

"W'y,  he  never  lets  one  of  his  wimmin  pail  a 
cow,"  said  old  Tubbs. 

"Na,  that  he  don't,"  replied  his  neighbor,  Norton, 
"an'  you  never  see  how  he  worked  to  git  the  spring 
water  in  his  kitchen,  so  there  wouldn't  be  no  call  fer 
his  wife  to  tote  water  from  the  pump  in  the  yard. 
He's  jest  silly  over  that  gal,  too.  W'y,  she's  eigh 
teen  if  she's  a  day,  but  her  pap  takes  her  in  his  lap 
an'  holds  her  like  a  baby,  an'  plays  with  her  as  if  she 
want  mor'n  ten." 

"An'  jest  look  at  the  clothes  he  buys,  an'  the  books 
an'  fixin's,  an'  pictures  he  puts  in  his  house,"  contin 
ued  Tubbs,  with  fine  scorn. 

Norton  shook  his  head.  "You  an'  me  can't  spend 
that  way.  He  must  have  had  a  pile  to  start  with,  an' 
he'll  use  it  up  afore  he's  as  old  as  us." 

Though  they  did  not  approve  of  his  ways,  Cam 
eron's  neighbors  could  not  say  that  he  was  without 
success — even  if  he  did  love  his  wife  and  daughter 
and  was  considerate  of  his  hired  men,  and  kind  to 


Cfje  Spotter*  19 


his  beasts.  They  learned,  as  people  in  small  country 
towns  and  neighborhoods  always  learn  such  things, 
that  Cameron  owed  nothing  upon  his  place,  paid  for 
whatever  he  bought  when  he  took  it  from  the  store, 
and  had  money  in  the  bank. 

"Wy,  he  packs  apples  in  barrels  an'  sends  'em 
away  to  the  city,  an'  gits  big  pay  for  'em,"  said 
Tubbs  in  awe.  "An'  he  puts  butter  up  in  fancy  boxes 
an'  sells  it  to  private  customers  who  writes  for  it.  I 
hearn,  too,  that  he  made  five  hunder  dollars  on  honey 
last  year,  an'  I  don't  know  how  many  hunder  on  his 
hens  an'  eggs,  though  they  say  it  most  breaks  his 
heart  to  kill  a  chicken.  He  sells  them  Durham 
carves  of  his  at  big  prices,  too.  Week  before  las'  he 
got  seven  hunder  dollars  for  a  yearling.  I  tell  you, 
Norton,  the  Scotchman's  a  schemer." 

"My  Gawd,  Tubbs,  he  is  a  schemer.  I  hearn  he's 
the  only  farmer  in  McKean  county  that  can  draw  his 
check  agin  money  of  his  own  in  the  Bradan  bank." 

"May  not  be  so  long,  though,"  said  Tubbs  with  a 
shake  of  his  head. 

"Oil?"  queried  Norton. 

"Yes,  oil.  It's  here  jest  as  well  as  it's  at  Oil  City 
and  Tidioute,  and  them  places  down  the  river.  Every 
wildcat  well  this  way  has  struck  it,  and  it's  here. 
You  and  me  will  sell  or  lease  our  farms  for  thou 
sands  afore  two  year." 

"I  hope  so,  Tubbs,  for  the  mortgage  on  mine's  due 
next  year  December." 


20  Cfje 

"Mine's  due  afore  that ;  but  I've  got  a  writin'  that 
it'll  be  renewed,  an'  you  better  git  one,  for  the  oil's 
here,  an'  it's  going'  to  be  found.  I  tell  ye,  Norton,  I 
kin  almost  hear  the  thumpin'  of  the  drill." 

And  in  a  few  months  old  Tubbs  did  hear  "the 
thumpin'  of  the  drill."  The  prospectors  pushed  out 
and  on,  up  one  valley  after  another,  along  rocky 
streams  and  over  ranges  of  wooded  hills,  often  strik 
ing  "dry  sand,"  but  as  frequently  piercing  veins  that 
sent  their  thick,  black  flow  to  the  surface  and  filled 
the  pockets  of  the  fortunate  owners  with  bulging  rolls 
of  greenbacks. 

From  every  part  of  the  country  came  the  money  to 
finance  the  companies  that  were  engaged  in  the  pros 
pecting.  Conservative  business  men,  careful  mem 
bers  of  the  various  professions,  keen  and  eager  bank 
ers,  clerks,  mechanics,  laboring  men  who  had  a  little 
store  of  cash  put  by  for  the  proverbial  rainy  day, 
widows,  guardians  of  trust  funds,  men  who  had  spec 
ulated  all  their  lives,  and  men  who  never  turned  a 
penny  save  by  labor — thousands  upon  thousands  in 
number  cashed  their  securities,  mortgaged  their  hold 
ings,  got  the  money  somehow  and  somewhere,  and 
"went  into  oil."  The  craze  for  investment  grew  with 
each  report  that  came  to  hand  of  a  successful  well  in 
a  new  territory,  and  men  were  fairly  beside  them 
selves  in  the  strife  to  secure  leases.  Agents  went 
abroad  by  night  and  by  day  over  the  hills  and 
through  the  valleys  seeking  the  owners  of  every; 


C6e  Spotter,  21 


square  rod  of  a  vast  section  which  heretofore  had 
been  given  up  to  lumbering  and  very  indifferent 
farming,  making  leases  for  the  companies  that  were 
forming  yonder  in  the  towns  and  cities,  and  which 
were  coming  into  this  wilderness  to  join  in  the  mad 
scramble  for  sudden  wealth. 

And  what  of  the  people  who  owned  farms  and 
tracts  of  land  in  the  new  oil  territory?  Many  of 
them  were  lumbermen  who  helped  to  strip  the  land 
of  their  marketable  trees  and  raft  the  logs  down  the 
streams  to  the  river,  and  thence  away  to  the  cities 
along  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi.  They  bought  the 
wild,  rocky  and  brush-tangled  lots  because  they  did 
not  know  what  else  to  do  when  lumbering  failed 
them;  and  here,  scores  of  miles  from  business  cen 
ters,  upon  roads  that  followed  the  logways  of  the 
timber  haulers,  in  the  rudest  of  rough  board  or  log- 
houses,  they  eked  out  a  bare  existence.  Little  more 
may  be  said  of  their  lives.  Their  surroundings  were 
dreary,  rough,  uninteresting.  Schools  were  almost 
unknown  ;  churches  a  like  quantity  ;  neighbors,  miles 
from  each  other. 

Even  in  the  most  favorable  localities,  like  the  val 
ley  in  which  lay  the  Cameron  farm,  the  conditions 
were  primitive,  and  the  eight  miles  over  the  divide 
to  Tuna,  the  little  station  on  the  branch  of  a  coal  and 
lumber  railroad  that  ran  a  dilapidated  old  emigrant 
car  at  the  rear  of  a  long  freight  train  out  to  the 
Junction  and  back  each  day,  took  you  through  a  sec- 


22 


tion  that  had  in  it  little  to  commend.  To  be  sure, 
since  Cameron  settled  there,  he  had  succeeded  in  rid 
ding  the  neighborhood  of  some  of  its  most  objection 
able  features.  He  spurred  the  farmers  on  to  improve 
the  road  leading  to  the  railroad  ;  he  was  instrumental 
in  establishing  a  school,  which  was  in  session  long 
terms  each  fall  and  spring;  he  formed  a  church  so 
ciety,  and  every  two  weeks  a  minister  came  to  them 
and  held  services  ;  he  led  in  starting  a  series  of  neigh 
borhood  parties  in  winter  and  picnics  in  summer, 
into  which  he  introduced  some  admirable  literary  fea 
tures  and  easy  study.  Cameron  lifted  his  neighbor 
hood  out  of  the  tangle  of  hemlock  brush,  briars,  wild 
grape-vines  and  scrub  oak,  and  clothed  it  with  some 
thing  approaching  a  fair  degree  of  enterprise  and 
progress.  By  the  very  force  of  example,  he  inspired 
industry,  thrift,  and  a  desire  for  better  things  ;  while 
by  advice  and  suggestion,  modestly  and  unobtrusively 
given,  he  was  able  to  guide  the  poor  derelicts  about 
him  into  smoother  sailing. 

So,  when  the  great  change  came,  when  the  money 
was  pouring  in  upon  this  land  and  companies  were 
ready  to  pay  what  seemed  to  be  fabulous  prices  for 
every  acre  within  the  known  oil-belt;  when  men  of 
standing  in  the  business  and  professional  world  were 
almost  imploring  these  ignorant  backwoodsmen  to 
permit  the  putting  down  of  wells  upon  their  holdings, 
with  the  promise  of  substantial  royalties  upon  all 
that  might  be  produced  —  the  people  of  the  Cameron 


C&e  Spotter.  23 

district  were  just  a  trifle  better  prepared  to  have  the 
responsibility  of  sudden  riches  thrust  upon  them  than 
were  most  of  the  residents  of  the  upper  oil  regions. 

And  here  developed  a  peculiarity  which  Cameron 
never  was  able  to  explain.  Men  who  learned  from 
him  how  best  to  crop  their  farms,  where  to  market 
their  surplus  product,  or  how  to  make  their  labor 
count  to  greatest  advantage,  who  sought  his  advice 
upon  almost  every  conceivable  step  from  setting  a 
hen  to  renewing  a  mortgage,  held  aloof  when  fortune 
knocked  at  their  doors,  and  drove  their  own  bargains 
with  the  rival  agents,  or  counted  their  own  cash  when 
it  was  paid  into  their  hands.  Never  a  one  took  Cam 
eron  into  his  confidence  in  these  days,  and  had  there 
not  been  sharp  competition  and  strong  bidding  on  the 
part  of  many  companies,  it  is  probable  that  few  of 
the  farmers  would  have  realized  more  than  beggarly 
prices  for  their  lands.  As  it  was,  the  agents  often 
took  advantage  of  the  ignorance  of  the  men  and 
women  with  whom  they  dealt,  and  many  rich  pieces 
of  oil  territory  went  into  the  hands  of  the  prospectors 
for  a  mere  song.  While  the  companies  reaped  their 
thousands,  the  dazed  and  helpless  owners  looked  on 
in  simple  and  pitiful  amazement. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  NEWLY  RICH. 

CAMERON  watched  the  approach  of  producing  oil- 
wells  with  a  feeling  of  sadness.  Strange  as  it  may 
appear,  he  experienced  no  happiness  in  contemplat 
ing  the  good  fortune  which  befell  his  neighbors,  right 
and  left.  He  did  not  believe  that  they  would  live 
better  lives  or  come  to  more  peaceful  deathbeds 
through  the  riches  thus  suddenly  thrust  upon  them, 
and  which  they  would  not  know  how  to  employ  for 
the  good  of  themselves  and  others. 

"They  are  like  children,"  he  said  to  Alice,  when 
they  were  talking  over  the  new  conditions,  "and  when 
they  get  their  money  will  go  out  into  the  world  with 
the  determination  to  dazzle  others  with  the  glare  of 
their  worldly  means.  Industry  will  be  stifled  in  their 
sons,  and  their  daughters  will  become  mere  silly 
hangers-on  after  fashion.  They  will  keep  reaching 
out  for  luxuries  and  amusements,  which  never  can 
form  any  solid  foundation  for  true  contentment  and 
happiness.  In  this  race  they  foolishly  will  throw 
away  what  has  come  to  them  without  labor,  and  when 


Spotter,  25 

stripped  of  their  gold  will  be  in  a  more  unhappy  state 
than  they  were  before." 

"But,  Duncan,  many  of  them  have  lived  such  hard, 
laborious  lives.  They  surely  are  entitled  to  some  rest 
and  comfort,"  replied  Mrs.  Cameron. 

"That  is  true,  Alice,  but,  with  the  help  of  God, 
their  condition  was  becoming  more  tolerable  every 
year,  and  I  doubt  if  in  all  the  commonwealth  there 
existed  a  happier  community  than  this.  If  they 
should  come  by  degrees  to  more  affluent  circum 
stances,  there  would  be  every  reason  to  rejoice,  for 
then  it  certainly  would  be  good  fortune  for  them. 
But  when  changed  from  penury  to  wealth,  almost  in 
a  day,  their  heads  will  be  turned  with  the  prospects 
before  them,  and  the  riches  that  came  with  no  effort 
will  be  preyed  upon  by  every  swindler  with  whom 
they  come  in  contact." 

At  the  same  time,  Cameron  knew  it  would  be  fu 
tile  to  raise  his  voice  against  leasing  or  selling  the 
lands  all  about  him.  It  is  not  human  nature  to  re 
sist  the  opportunity  to  grasp  a  fortune  when  it  is 
within  one's  easy  reach.  We  may  search  the  world 
almost  in  vain  for  men  who  do  not  gladly  embrace 
riches,  and  though  philosophers  may  teach  that  the 
possession  of  great  treasure  seldom  brings  the  happi 
ness  anticipated,  still  we  remember  that  poverty  is  a 
master  whose  lash  is  as  merciless  as  the  hand  of  death 
itself. 

So,  one  by  one,  the  Cameron  Valley  people  leased 


26 

or  sold  their  farms  and  went  into  the  distant  towns 
and  cities  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  "getting  into 
society  and  seeing  the  world."  Their  poor  belong 
ings  often  were  deserted,  or  given  to  the  families  of 
laborers,  who  poured  into  the  country  to  carry  on 
the  new  industry.  Sometimes  they  held  auctions  and 
sold  their  stock,  but  cases  are  not  unknown  where 
everything  was  abandoned  to  be  picked  up  by  who 
ever  might  come  first  upon  the  scene.  Women  who 
never  had  been  able  to  count  more  than  two  gowns 
at  any  one  time  in  their  wardrobes,  and  those  of  poor 
and  cheap  stuffs,  were  soon  rustling  in  silks  and  kept 
dressmakers  constantly  employed  on  new  outfits.  Men 
who  last  week  plodded  in  clumsy  cowhide  boots,  and 
who  enjoyed  the  freedom  of  collarless  shirts,  blue  or 
butternut  jeans  and  patched  jumpers,  were  this  week 
squeezing  their  feet  into  patent  leathers  and  endeav 
oring  to  become  accustomed  to  collars  and  cuffs  and 
to  eat  with  their  coats  on  at  tables  covered  with 
linen. 

Cameron  found  it  necessary  to  make  a  business 
visit  to  Bradan,  the  nearest  town  of  any  consider 
able  size,  and  to  which  the  Tubbs  family  moved  as 
soon  as  their  property  was  sold.  Having  some  time 
upon  his  hands,  Cameron  hunted  up  his  old  neigh 
bors,  whom  he  found  in  a  hired  house,  which  they 
had  taken  ready  furnished  until  they  could  build  for 
themselves.  Though  excellent  taste  and  full  comfort 
were  displayed  in  the  rooms,  Mrs.  Tubbs,  whose  best 


C&e  Spotter,  27 

piece  of  furniture  three  months  before  was  a  straight- 
backed  wooden  rocker,  with  one  broken  arm,  at  once 
began  to  apologize  for  what  she  termed  their  "shabby 
condition."  Nor  was  she  content  to  permit  the  mat 
ter  to  drop  until  she  several  times  assured  their  guest 
that  it  was  the  best  they  could  get  in  the  town  until 
their  own  new  house  should  be  completed  and  fur 
nished  with  articles  of  her  own  choosing.  She  was 
very  grand,  was  Mrs.  Tubbs,  with  her  wealth  of 
skirts  and  tight  bodice,  which  was  brought  together 
only  through  great  exertion  over  ribs  that  heretofore 
had  been  unhampered.  Her  brand  new  rings  and 
massive  gold  chain  flashed  and  glittered  as  though 
proud  to  adorn  one  of  so  fine  a  mould,  and  her  voice, 
once  harsh  and  high-pitched  when  she  called  the  cat 
tle  or  scolded  Tubbs  and  the  children,  was  now  by 
effort  held  in  check — or,  perchance,  was  smothered  by 
the  pressure  of  her  corsets. 

And  Elizabeth  Tubbs — formerly  Betsey — was 
quite  imposing  in  a  big-flowered  delaine  with  an 
enormous  bustle  and  a  long  train,  which  she  had  not 
yet  fully  mastered  and  which  sometimes  tripped  her 
as  she  walked.  There  were  more  rings  and  chains 
and  bracelets  on  Elizabeth  than  Cameron  previously 
had  seen  on  any  woman  of  her  age ;  but  he  reflected 
that  he  was  not  a  judge  of  what  might  be  fashion 
able.  Elizabeth  easily  picked  up  superior  airs  and 
she  spoke  loud  and  fast  as  though  anxious  to  domi- 


28 

nate  the  conversation.  She  was  in  all  respects  quite 
the  forward  young  woman. 

And  poor  old  Jim  Tubbs,  all  shaven  and  shorn, 
until  his  picturesqueness  was  lost,  looked  like  a  whit 
ened  manikin  in  broad-checked  trousers  and  vest, 
black  cutaway  coat,  high  collar,  bright  necktie,  stiff 
cuffs  with  turquois  buttons,  patent  leather  shoes,  and 
a  high  silk  hat  which  he  kept  beside  him  on  the  floor. 
He  sat  bolt  upright  on  the  edge  of  his  chair  as  though 
afraid  of  crushing  the  upholstery,  and  when  spoken 
to  turned  toward  the  speaker  as  he  might  have  done 
had  the  only  joint  in  his  body  been  at  the  hips.  He 
was  the  personification  of  discomfort,  and  kept  glan 
cing  uneasily  toward  the  door,  and  then  back  at 
gorgeous  Mrs.  Tubbs  and  radiant  Miss  Tubbs,  as 
though  watching  an  opportunity  to  cut-and-run  out 
into  the  fields,  where  he  could  find  freedom. 

Nearly  all  that  Mrs.  Tubbs  or  Elizabeth  had  to 
say  was  upon  subjects  which  led  up  to  the  expendi 
ture  of  money,  or  about  people  who  had  money,  or 
how  much  pleasure  they  took  in  letting  others  know 
that  they  had  money  of  their  own.  It  was  at  that 
time  in  the  history  of  our  country  when  millionaires 
were  not  as  plentiful  as  they  are  at  present,  and  those 
who  counted  their  assets  above  fifty  or  sixty  thousand 
dollars  were  really  people  of  great  fortunes.  It  was 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  simple  Mrs.  Tubbs  and  her 
simpler  daughter  were  full  of  the  belief — which  is 
not  yet  wholly  eradicated  in  mankind — that  money 


Cfje  Spotter,  29 


is  the  balm  for  all  ills  and  the  open  sesame  to  every 
door  leading  to  human  satisfaction,  and  saw  in  the 
shimmer  of  their  gold  a  light  that  outshone  modesty, 
good  breeding,  education  and  culture. 

"You  ought  to  sell  out,  Mr.  Cameron,"  declared 
Mrs.  Tubbs.  "You  won't  never  git  any  more  for 
your  place  than  they'll  pay  for  it  now.  Why,  you'd 
be  richer'n  any  of  your  old  neighbors.  If  you  hold 
on  much  longer  maybe  youns  won't  git  any  kind  of  a 
price." 

"'Youns,'  ma?"  said  Elizabeth. 

Mrs.  Tubbs  looked  annoyed  and  bit  her  lip,  but 
made  no  reply. 

"But  I  do  not  wish  to  sell,  Mrs.  Tubbs,"  replied 
Cameron.  "I  prefer  to  remain  as  I  am." 

"Well,  men  are  a  queer  lot,  anyway,"  she  rejoined. 
"I  sometimes  think  Tubbs  d'ruther  be  back  on  that 
old  farm  than  bein'  here  in  town  where  there's  some- 
thin'  to  see,  an'  where,  if  he's  a  mind  to  spunk  up, 
he  can  be  as  high  as  any  of  them.  Banker  Lowe  ain't 
got  any  more  money  than  Tubbs,  an'  when  he  goes 
down  the  street  everybody  bows  an'  scrapes  ter  him 
as  though  he  was  a  high  mightiness;  but  Tubbs,  he 
jest  sort  of  slinks  along  as  if  apologizin'  for  wearin' 
clothes  that  cost  sixty  dollars  a  suit,  and  some  of  these 
folks  that  thinks  they're  so  fine,  snicker  at  the  way 
he  carries  himself.  They  don't  do  it  over  me  an' 
Bet  —  Elizabeth.  We  jest  hold  our  heads  up  an'  look 


so  Cfje 

'em  right  square  in  the  face  an'  let  'em  know  that 
we're  inderpendent." 

Tubbs  shivered,  and  settled  himself  further  down 
in  his  collar,  and  shrunk  visibly  within  his  fine  cloth 
ing. 

Cameron  remembered  that  there  was  a  young  man 
in  the  family  whom  he  always  had  known  as  "Coon." 
However,  he  was  too  wise  to  inquire  after  the  boy  by 
that  name,  so  he  asked  Elizabeth  if  her  brother  was  at 
home. 

"Aw,  yes,  I  think  so.  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Cam 
eron,  Archibald  has  grown  quite  sporty  since  we 
moved  to  town,  and  has  really  become  an  example 
which  his  father  might  follow." 

"I  ain't  a  goin'  to  foller  his  example,"  said  Mr. 
Tubbs,  suddenly  straightening  up.  "He  drinks  too 
much  licker." 

"Mr.  Tubbs!"  ejaculated  his  wife  with  emphasis. 
"Ain't  I  told  you  more'n  once  that  all  young  gentle 
men  with  money  and  with  nothing  to  do  but  to  amuse 
themselves,  drink  more  or  less  ?" 

"Well,  Coon  drinks  more;  an'  tain't  no  credit  to 
him  nor  to  no  one  to  do  it,"  shouted  Tubbs,  with 
some  of  his  old-time  vigor. 

"I  should  think  you'd  be  ashamed  to  call  your 
only  son  by  such  a  low,  vulgar  name,"  sobbed  Mrs. 
Tubbs,  with  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes. 

" Wy,  dum  it !  you  gin  him  the  name  yerself  w'en 
he  was  a  little  feller  an'  treed  a  coon  one  day  jest 


Cfje  Spotter,  31 

back  of  the  house.  But  sense  we've  come  to  town,  an' 
Coon's  spendin'  six  or  seven  dollars  a  day  buyin' 
drinks  for  bummers  that  jest  swells  his  head  to  ketch 
his  treats,  you  an'  Betsey  can't  bear  to  hear  him  called 
any  thin'  but  Archibald."  And  Tubbs  jammed  his 
silk  hat  down  till  it  bent  his  ears  forward,  and 
stamped  out  of  the  room. 

Cameron  pleaded  that  it  was  nearly  time  for  his 
train,  and  took  his  leave  as  best  he  might  under  the 
circumstances.  At  the  gate  he  joined  Mr.  Tubbs. 

"I'm  going  to  walk  with  you  to  the  deepo,"  said 
the  old  man,  "for  it  heartens  me  up  to  see  an  old 
neighbor  who  ain't  gone  plum  crazy.  Dum  it,  I  wish 
I  was  back  in  Cameron  Valley.  If  you  say  the  word, 
I'll  go  down  an'  work  for  you  on  the  farm  by  the 
month." 

"That  would  not  do  at  all,  Mr.  Tubbs.  You  are 
a  man  of  property  now,  and  it  is  your  privilege  and 
duty  to  exercise  a  careful  oversight  in  its  expendi 
ture,  that  you  and  the  members  of  your  family  may 
take  some  comfort  and  accomplish  some  good  through 
the  use  of  this  money  that  has  come  into  your 
hands." 

Tubbs  shook  his  head  mournfully.  "It's  jest  like 
turnin'  a  cow  or  a  hoss  loose  in  a  granery  full  of 
meal.  The  poor  critters  ain't  got  judgment  enough 
to  eat  what's  good  for  'em,  an'  then  stop  till  its  time 
to  eat  again ;  but  they  keeps  on  stuffin'  an'  stuffin'  till 
they  swells  up  an'  busts.  Wy  this  money  I've  got 


32  Cfje 

won't  last  many  years  at  the  rate  we  are  spendin'  it ; 
but  I  can't  make  Susan,  nor  Betsey,  nor  that  fool  of  a 
Coon  see  it.  They've  jest  got  their  heads  in  the  meal 
barrel  an'  are  hoggin'  away  like  an  ornery  old  cow; 
an'  bimby  they'll  bust.  Cameron,  I  cal'calate  we 
have  spent  about  four  thousan'  dollars  in  two  months, 
an'  we  ain't  got  a  dum  thing  to  show  for  it,  'cept 
clothes  that  ain't  like  nobody  else's,  an'  jewelry  that 
nobody  else'd  buy.  Nor  we  ain't  made  society  slip 
a  cog  neither." 

"But  you  should  put  your  money  at  interest  in 
some  safe  investment,  and  limit  yourselves  to  spend 
ing  the  income  and  no  more.  There  surely  are 
chances  to  loan  it,  or  to  place  it  where  it  will  be 
earning  something." 

"Chances,  Cameron,  w'y  they're  swarmin'  like 
bees.  There's  a  slick  feller  hangin'  around  Betsey — 
courtin'  her,  mother  thinks,  but  I  don't — who  knows 
where  he  could  invest  it  an'  double  it  every  six 
months.  He's  showed  me  figgers,  an'  tables,  an'  plans 
all  in  print  as  how  it  could  be  done.  Then  there's  a 
man  named  Wilcox  that  Susan  brought  home  from  a 
missionary  meetin'  to  introduce  to  me,  an'  he  knows 
where  he  could  put  thirty  thousan'  an'  make  fifty 
thousan'  oif'n  it  inside  a  year.  He's  a  mighty  smart 
man,  too.  He's  told  his  plans  to  Susan  half  a  dozen 
times,  an'  she  says  it's  jest  as  sure  as  thunder  in  July 
to  come  out  big  an'  loud.  An'  there's  two  men  with  a 
gold  mine  to  start  up.  The  gold's  right  almost  on 


Cfie  Spotter,  33 

top  the  ground,  an'  all  that's  waitin'  is  money  to 
hire  teams  an'  draw  it  outen  the  mountains,  so  it  can 
be  melted  into  twenty-dollar  pieces.  They  showed  me 
the  map  with  a  big  red  dot  where  the  mine  lays.  An' 
patents,  mor'n  a  dozen  of  'em;  an'  city  lots  in  the 
nicest  places  all  laid  out  jest  like  posey  beds;  an' 
stock  in  forty  companies  with  big  gold  seals  on  it, 
an'  pictures  an'  fancy  letters  tellin'  how  much  it 'is 
worth,  while  I  can  git  it  dum  cheap.  Some  of  it's 
goin'  to  double  in  price  in  a  week  or  two.  Wy,  I 
can't  begin  to  tell  you  the  chances  I've  had  to  invest, 
Cameron." 

"I  fear  many  of  them  are  swindles,  Mr.  Tubbs. 
You  should  be  very  cautious  in  making  an  invest 
ment,  and  if  I  were  you  I  would  not  place  a  penny 
until  I  was  sure  as  to  the  nature  and  reliability  of 
the  project.  Why  do  you  not  secure  the  service  of 
some  lawyer  of  high  character  and  good  business  re 
pute  ?" 

"No;  I  don't  want  a  lawyer.  I'm  goin'  to  give 
them  their  fling  for  a  while  an'  see  if  they  don't  git 
sick  of  it.  But  they  won't.  I  know  that  well  enough. 
Some  day,  when  a  partic'lar  smooth  chap  comes  along 
an'  makes  love  to  Betsey  till  she's  clean  gone  on  him, 
an'  gits  Coon  drunk  as  a  driller  every  other  day,  an' 
makes  Susan  think  he  is  jest  the  one  who  can  take 
her  right  into  society — then  I'm  goin'  to  invest,  jest 
to  see  how  quick  it  will  go!  All  but  two  thousan/ 
Mr.  Cameron.  I've  got  that  amount  salted,  an'  when 


34 

t'other's  gone,  I'll  buy  a  place  with  that  where  they 
ain't  no  oil,  nor  prospect  of  oil.  If  they  want  to  go 
an'  live  on  it  with  me,  they  can;  an'  if  they  want  to 
stay  in  society,  they  can  do  that." 

The  old  man  stopped  suddenly  and  caught  Cam 
eron  by  the  arm.  "My  God!  look  there.  I  can't 
go  any  further,  Cameron ;  good-by." 

He  wrung  his  companion's  hand  with  a  quick, 
nervous  grasp,  and  then,  turning,  walked  rapidly  to 
ward  his  home. 

Just  ahead  of  him  Cameron  saw  a  group  of  young 
men  approaching,  and  a  glance  afforded  an  explana 
tion  for  the  sudden  departure  of  Mr.  Tubbs.  The 
leading  spirit  in  the  party  was  Coon,  who  in  a  few 
weeks  had  changed  from  an  awkward  and  plainly- 
clad  countryman  into  a  loud,  swaggering,  half- 
drunken,  disgusting,  leering  "sport"  Those  accom 
panying  him  were  of  the  same  class,  save  that  they 
were  older  in  the  ways  in  which  Coon  was  being  in 
itiated,  and  he  was  paying  for  his  inexperience. 

"Who's  the  hayseed  ?"  shouted  one. 

"The  devil !"  said  Coon,  looking  with  a  dull  stare, 
"it's  Cameron.  Hello,  Scotchie,  how  much  is  punk- 
ins  worth  ?" 

"They're  cheap  in  town,  Coon,  where  so  many 
young  fellows  carry  them  a-top  their  shoulders,"  re 
plied  Cameron  with  a  smile. 

"Coon !  Coon !"  laughed  some  of  the  young  bloods. 
"That  is  what  his  dad  calls  him." 


C&e  Spotter*  35 


"Damn  my  dad  !"  Coon  blurted  with  anger.  "He's 
an  old  mossback,  just  like  you." 

"And  I  see  that  his  son  has  become  a  gentleman 
of  leisure,  spending  his  time  in  the  company  of 
wits." 

"Look  a-here,"  said  Coon  with  an  oath.  "I  ain't 
agoin'  to  be  insulted  by  no  countryman.  We  don't 
stand  such  things  in  town."  His  hand  went  into  his 
hip  pocket  and  brought  out  a  revolver  which  he  began 
to  flourish  in  an  ugly  manner. 

Instantly  sorry  that  he  had  made  any  reply  to  the 
young  fellow,  who  had  been  drinking  quite  freely, 
Cameron  stepped  forward,  caught  the  revolver  from 
Coon's  hand  with  a  quick  twist,  and  breaking  open 
the  barrel,  slipped  the  cylinder  from  place  and  tossed 
it  into  a  deep  mudhole  in  the  street  "There,  my 
boy,"  he  said,  returning  the  useless  weapon.  "You 
go  straight  up  the  street  and  do  not  turn  to  look  be 
hind  you  until  you  reach  home.  If  you  are  sober 
enough  to  remember  this  message,  tell  your  father, 
who  left  me  before  I  could  say  a  word  of  farewell, 
that  if  he  wants  Duncan  Cameron's  help  at  any  time, 
he  knows  where  to  find  me.  The  rest  of  you  go 
back,"  he  said,  turning  to  them.  "It  must  be  sorry 
lives  that  you  lead  to  indulge  in  such  poor  sport  as 
getting  drunk  a  silly  lad  like  this  one." 

Coon  had  seen  Cameron  thrash  a  couple  of  bullies 
in  a  lumber-camp  one  winter  several  years  before, 


36  Cfie  ^potter* 

and  he  held  the  Scotchman  in  wholesome  fear.  With 
out  a  word  he  followed  the  course  that  was  pointed 
out  for  him.  His  companions  slunk  away  and  made 
no  protest. 


Cfje  Spotter*  37 


CHAPTEE  IV. 

THE  MAECH  OF  DEVELOPMENT. 

THE  land  upon  all  sides  of  the  Cameron  farm  had 
been  leased  or  purchased  by  the  eager,  anxious  com 
panies,  and  the  invasion  by  the  strange,  rough  army 
of  developers  was  at  its  height.  Thinking  people  of 
those  days  often  wondered  whence  came  the  swag 
gering,  bullying,  drinking,  carousing,  profane  men 
who  poured  into  the  oil-fields  to  build  derricks,  at 
tend  the  drills,  chop  wood,  fire  the  engines,  lay  pipe 
lines,  erect  tanks,  haul  oil  or  lumber,  or  to  engage  in 
the  various  occupations  co-incident  with  the  growing 
industry.  It  was  all  hard,  dirty,  perplexing  work. 
Men  who  came  to  perform  it  slept  in  shanties  or  in 
old  barns  where  they  stabled  their  horses,  or  under 
wagons  when  dry  ground  could  be  found  for  them  to 
lie  upon.  Sometimes  they  did  not  change  their  cloth 
ing  for  weeks,  and  they  battled  constantly  against  the 
elements — and  the  mud,  and  the  rocks.  They  ate  the 
coarsest  food,  for  which  they  paid  prices  that  were 
almost  fabulous.  They  were  in  a  constant  maelstrom 
of  hurry,  and  confusion,  and  excitement,  where  he 
who  had  the  strongest  lungs  with  which  to  shout  his 


38  C6e  Spotter. 

oaths,  or  the  brawniest  fist  with  which  to  clear  his 
way,  made  most  rapid  progress. 

The  quiet  carpenter,  who  whistled  at  his  bench  in 
the  clean  shop  in  town  as  he  drove  his  plane  or  saw 
upon  well-seasoned  lumber,  became  in  a  few  days  the 
hoarse-voiced,  cursing  rig  builder,  tugging  with 
cracked  and  bleeding  hands  and  aching  back  at  water- 
soaked  and  mud-covered  hemlock  planks. 

The  blacksmith  who  was  wont  to  exchange  stories 
with  the  farmers  as  he  leisurely  fixed  shoes  upon 
their  horses,  or  who  had  a  pleasant  chat  with  the 
tourist  and  his  wife  while  making  a  few  repairs  upon 
their  carriage,  became  the  burly  tool-dresser,  who, 
for  five  dollars  a  day,  faithfully  swung  a  heavy 
sledge,  sharpening  or  pointing  massive  drills  which 
had  been  pounding  holes  two  thousand  feet  down 
through  the  flinty  rocks  to  the  oil-bearing  sands. 

The  young  man  from  town  who  had  tried  many 
things  and  never  just  found  himself,  but  who  was  ac 
customed  to  regular  meals  and  clean  beds,  became  the 
driller,  all  grimy  with  machine  oil  and  the  pasty 
detrius  from  the  well,  working  each  alternate  four 
hours,  night  and  day,  ever  at  the  same  monotonous 
twisting  of  the  drill  stem.  Or,  when  an  accident 
occurred  and  the  cable  parted,  fishing  with  all  sorts 
of  queer  barbs  fifteen  hundred  feet  down  at  the  bot 
tom  of  the  narrow  hole  for  the  tons  of  iron  and  steel 
which  made  up  the  lost  set  of  tools — fishing,  it  may 
be  for  weeks  without  success,  and  then  possibly 


Cfje  Spotter.  39 

catching  the  drill  stem  and  hauling  away  till  the  tools 
neared  the  surface,  only  to  see  the  grip  let  go  at  the 
last  moment,  while  the  mass  of  iron  would  plunge 
back  to  the  depths  in  the  rock,  and  the  fishing  must 
be  commenced  again. 

The  young  farmer  took  his  horses  from  the  mow 
ing  machine  or  plow,  and,  hitching  them  to  the  lum 
ber  wagon,  turned  their  heads  away  from  the  com 
fortable  farm  and  toward  the  oil  regions  to  become 
the  teamster  who  found  occupation  in  hauling  lum 
ber,  engines,  coils  of  rope,  tubing,  coal  and  oil.  For 
days  and  weeks  he  plodded  wearily  with  his  horses, 
knee-deep  in  the  mud,  sticking  fast  in  pitch-holes, 
breaking  down  from  contact  against  hidden  rocks, 
fighting  with  teamsters  whose  way  he  blocked,  or  who 
found  themselves  hopelessly  mired  in  some  almost 
bottomless  swale. 

The  distant  village  merchant  heard  from  the  men 
who  were  pouring  their  capital  into  the  oil-fields, 
how  towns  were  springing  up  in  a  week.  Collecting 
a  stock  of  coarse  clothing  and  a  few  of  the  necessi 
ties  of  life,  he  hurried  away  to  the  scene  of  a  promis 
ing  "strike,"  and  in  a  few  days  opened  a  store  in  a 
rough  shanty,  through  the  cracks  of  which  the  storm 
beat  or  the  sun  and  wind  penetrated.  He  soon 
learned  that  a  staple  article  of  commerce  was  whisky, 
and  barrels  of  that  liquid  were  brought  in  to  be  dealt 
out  at  all  hours  of  the  day  or  night  in  all  kinds  of 


40  C&e  Spotter. 

vessels  and  in  such  quantities  as  the  purchaser  de 
manded  and  for  what  he  might  be  able  to  pay. 

Boarding-houses—called  by  courtesy  hotels,  with 
high-sounding  names — where  forty  men  slept  on 
rough  plank  bunks  around  the  sides  of  one  room, 
or  in  the  center  of  the  same  room  ate  at  equally 
primitive  tables,  upon  which  quantities  of  food  were 
spread  for  their  choosing,  came  into  existence  in  an 
incredibly  short  time.  Dance  halls,  in  which  tobacco 
smoke  and  the  fumes  of  liquor  mingled  with  the  de 
praved  jokes  and  profanity  every  hour  of  the  seven 
days  in  a  week,  were  as  numerous  as  the  saloons  and 
gambling-hells  which  crowded  thick  and  fast  around 
the  center  in  which  the  booming  oil  town  took  root. 

Great  roaring  flames  of  natural  gas  sprang  high 
in  the  air  from  the  mouths  of  tubing  that  stretched 
away  in  all  directions  toward  the  wells,  like  slender 
serpents  spitting  forth  a  stream  of  living  fire.  And 
day  or  night  these  bellowing  fires  never  were 
quenched  so  long  as  the  gas  supply  lasted.  Months 
or  years  might  pass,  but  they  flared  or  roared  in  wind 
or  storm,  or  sent  their  bright  flames  high  in  the  still 
air  of  an  autumn  noon  or  a  summer  night. 

The  stain  of  oil  and  its  oppressive  smell  were 
everywhere,  for  the  thick,  black  liquid  often  escaped 
in  quantities  and  ran  in  streams  down  the  hillsides. 

The  clanging  of  iron  upon  iron  at  the  tool-dressers' 
forges,  the  throb  of  engines  and  their  hissing  steam, 
the  pounding  of  the  drills,  the  whirling  of  the  bull- 


Spotter.  41 

wheels  at  the  derricks,  the  rattling  of  cables  as  they 
shot  through  the  blocks,  the  creaking  of  wagons  and 
the  shouts  of  men  were  never  quiet,  for  so  great  was 
the  haste  to  draw  this  hidden  wealth  from  its  reser 
voirs  that  night  was  turned  into  day,  and  rest  came 
only  when  the  field  was  exhausted. 

Picture  a  sylvan  glen  through  which  coursed  a  gen 
erous  stream  with  dark  and  hidden  pools  reaching 
back  under  overhanging  banks — a  favorite  haunt  for 
the  trout  fisherman.  Tangled  vines  of  wild  grape 
and  cucumber  go  wandering  over  fallen  trees  and 
hide  decaying  stumps,  or  hang  in  graceful  festoons 
over  the  faint  trails  that  lead  along  the  steep  banks 
or  down  beside  the  brook.  Brush  and  bramble  are  all 
in  confusion,  clinging  to  outcropping  rocks  and  press 
ing  close  upon  the  great  trees  which  are  ever  lifting 
their  branches  up  and  up  in  search  of  light  and  air. 
Eight  months  later,  see  in  the  same  spot  a  half-hun 
dred  derricks,  whose  thirsty  engines  drink  from  the 
trout  brook,  and  beside  some  of  which  stand  mam 
moth  tanks  into  which  black  streams  are  pouring 
from  the  wells ;  while  long  wagon  trains,  laden  with 
barrels  of  the  liquid,  go  groaning  over  the  rough  road 
way  leading  out  to  the  station,  meeting  other  wagons 
which  come  rattling  back  with  empty  barrels.  The 
feverish  haste  of  hundreds  of  toiling  men  is  evident 
upon  every  side.  A  "boom  town"  has  sprung  into 
life,  with  shanty  stores,  hotels,  saloons,  an  opera 
house,  a  mission  church,  a  post-office  and  a  popula- 


42  CJje  Spotter, 

tion  of  ten  thousand  souls.  The  tangled  forest  is  cut 
away  where  necessary,  leaving  white  stumps  which 
are  utilized  for  the  corner  posts  of  shanties  or  the 
foundation  of  derricks.  The  soft  leaf  mold  is  bro 
ken  into  ruts  by  the  wheels  of  numerous  wagons. 
Wreckage — they  call  it  junk  in  the  oil-fields — lies 
strewn  wherever  it  fell  the  moment  it  became  use 
less.  Vice  in  its  many  forms  came  almost  at  the  be 
ginning  of  the  strange  metamorphosis,  and  flaunts  it 
self  with  a  freedom  and  blazonry  that  proves  its  pop 
ularity.  Over  the  mountain  there,  pushing  on  with  a 
rapidity  that  is  almost  marvellous,  comes  the  narrow 
gauge  railroad,  while  here  up  the  valley  they  are  lay 
ing  a  pipe  line  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  a  day. 

All  these  new  conditions  and  people  gathered  like 
a  storm  around  the  Cameron  farm.  A  "city"  sprang 
up  almost  at  the  doorway  of  the  Cameron  homestead. 
The  clang  and  clamor,  the  babel  of  excitement  and 
strife  and  prodigious  efforts  crowded  in  upon  this 
oasis  like  hot  sands  which  threatened  to  overwhelm 
and  blot  it  out  forever.  Strange  men  knocked  at  the 
doors  of  the  house  and  demanded  boarding-places. 
Women  came  with  baskets  and  pails  to  purchase  the 
produce  of  farm  and  dairy,  or  of  orchard.  Teamsters 
broke  open  the  barn  and  stabled  their  horses  when 
they  chose,  and  then  flung  money  and  curses  at  the 
man  who  protested.  Groups  of  workmen  lawlessly 
pushed  their  way  across  the  fields  without  thought  or 
care  for  the  damage  they  were  causing  to  growing 


C&e  Spotter,  43 

crops  of  grain.  The  riff  and  rabble  which  attaches 
itself  to  every  great  movement  was  present,  with  its 
constant  and  almost  unbearable  annoyances. 

But  Duncan  Cameron  fought  against  it  all.  The 
blood  of  the  Covenanters  was  in  his  veins,  and  oppo 
sition  only  strengthened  his  determination  to  cling  to 
his  own  and  not  permit  these  gathering  foes  to  dis 
lodge  him.  Scores  of  times  was  he  approached  by 
those  who  sought  to  buy  or  lease  his  farm,  for  each 
well  approaching  his  lines  from  north,  east,  south,  or 
west,  had  been  a  better  producer  than  the  one  behind 
it.  The  expert  prospectors  declared  that  Cameron's 
two  hundred  acres  covered  rich  layers  of  the  oil-bear 
ing  sands,  and  the  prize  was  one  for  which  they  con 
tended  with  spirit. 

All  these  offers  were  refused,  respectfully,  but 
firmly.  He  did  not  want  their  money,  as  he  was  in 
no  need ;  he  loved  his  home  and  would  protect  it  from 
trespass  as  best  he  might  until  this  flood  of  destruc 
tion  should  pass. 

Then,  when  they  could  not  persuade  this  man  to 
change  his  oft-repeated  decision,  when  he  could  not 
be  lured  to  yield  by  offers  of  money,  his  persecution 
began. 


44 


CHAPTER  V. 

AN  INSTRUMENT  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

THE  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Com 
pany  was  now  well  started  upon  a  career  which  has 
since  been  considered  in  financial  circles  as  a  marvel 
in  the  way  of  achievement.  The  tactics  it  adopted 
at  that  time  were  bold  and  entirely  new,  and  were  not 
greatly  feared,  but  now  are  so  common  as  to  call  for 
general  complaint.  Its  far-seeing  officers  realized 
that  they  could  be  greatly  aided  in  their  operations 
if  they  would  enter  into  political  manipulation  to  a 
sufficient  degree  to  control  certain  affairs  in  town 
ships,  municipalities,  counties  and  States,  and  to  the 
accomplishment  of  this  end  the  directors  gave  their 
president  full  power  to  make  such  bargains  with 
party  managers  as  he  should  deem  necessary  for  the 
welfare  of  the  company — and,  of  course,  the  good  of 
the  State  at  large.  This  man  was  Henry  Lanphere, 
a  smooth-shaven,  soft-speaking,  pious  fraud.  Very 
few  people  knew  President  Lanphere  other  than  as 
an  eminently  respectable  member  of  the  community. 
He  was  correct  in  all  his  habits,  for  he  lived  a  life  of 
moral  rectitude  that  was  almost  severe  in  its  routine. 


Cfte  Spotter.  45 

His  attendance  at  church  was  marked  and  regular, 
nor  did  his  piety  stop  there,  for  Mr.  Lanphere  car 
ried  his  Sunday  air  at  all  times,  and  appeared  to  be 
constantly  pondering  upon  problems  of  how  best  he 
might  aid  his  fellow  man. 

He  spoke  of  the  oil-industry  as  a  gift  from  Provi 
dence,  in  the  participation  of  which  all  should  receive 
benefit  under  certain  rules  and  restrictions. 

"Nature,"  he  said,  "has  stored  vast  reservoirs  of  a 
commodity  that  will  be  of  benefit  to  all  mankind,  and 
its  hiding-place  has  been  disclosed  at  this  special  time 
because  the  world  has  reached  a  point  in  its  career 
when  Providence  has  decreed  that  a  new  gift  shall  be 
bestowed.  The  dissemination  of  this  gift  should  be 
controlled  by  men  who  are  working  along  philan 
thropic  lines;  hence,  these  same  men  should  decide 
as  to  the  size  of  the  output.  To  this  end^  strife  for 
new  and  greater  territory  must  be  discouraged,  and 
while  those  who  are  working  along  new  and  indepen 
dent  lines  may  be  permitted  to  use  their  money  in 
prospecting  by  sinking  'wildcat'  wells,  the  represen 
tatives  of  Providence  must  watch  all  such  operations, 
and  if  there  is  a  show  of  oil,  they  must  proceed  to 
secure  title  to  all  adjoining  territory  and  hold  it  for 
future  operations." 

President  Lanphere  declared  also  that  the  market 
should  be  dominated  by  the  men  in  whom  Providence 
; — the  author  of  the  gift — had  confidence.  It  was  en 
tirely  wrong  for  the  independent  producer  to  sell  to 


46  c&e  Spotter* 

the  independent  refiner ;  or  to  permit  the  independent 
refiners  to  go  into  distant  cities  and  sell  to  exporters, 
wholesalers  or  retailers. 

"The  general  welfare  of  mankind,"  of  which  Presi 
dent  Lanphere  spoke  constantly,  "will  be  best  con 
served  if  a  firm  hand  has  full  direction  of  the  mar 
ket" 

In  order  to  bring  this  about,  the  representatives 
must  not  only  secure  every  refinery,  but  they  must 
embrace  the  railroads  to  an  extent  that  enabled  them 
to  secure  rates  for  freighting  oil  which  would  permit 
of  competition  from  no  other  source. 

With  infinite  care  Henry  Lanphere  selected  the 
men  whom  he  believed  best  fitted  to  aid  him  in  this 
great  philanthropic  scheme,  and  when  he  had  made 
his  choice  and  the  way  was  thus  prepared,  the  Cygnet 
Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company  was  not  slow 
in  moving  to  carry  out  the  designs  of  Providence,  ac 
cording  to  the  views  of  its  president. 

One  of  the  first  things  necessary  was  to  acquire  an 
interest  in  newspapers  which  had  made  their  appear 
ance  in  the  growing  young  cities  of  the  oil-country. 
These  were  needed  to  expound  the  doctrines  of  Presi 
dent  Lanphere,  by  placing  before  the  public  such  ar 
ticles  as  would  expand  the  ordinary  intellect  upon  the 
benefits  to  be  secured  through  centralization  of  the 
various  branches  of  the  industry.  At  the  same  time, 
a  quiet,  circumspect  campaign  must  be  carried  on 
through  all  the  Assembly  districts  of  the  State,  that 


C&e  Spotter*  47 

men  should  be  chosen  who  might  be  brought  to  thor 
oughly  appreciate  the  beneficient  intentions  of  the 
Oygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Eefining  Company,  and 
aid  it  through  the  enactment  of  such  laws  as  time 
would  prove  to  be  necessary.  While  engaged  in  this 
missionary  effort,  attention  also  was  to  be  given  to 
the  selection  of  judges  who  would  construe  the  laws 
in  various  courts.  It  was  thought  wise  in  many  in 
stances  to  make  certain  judges  and  legislators  stock 
holders  of  the  company  over  which  Mr.  Lanphere 
presided,  and  blocks  of  stock  were  set  aside  for  that 
purpose.  The  affairs  of  townships  and  boroughs 
also  required  attention  at  the  hands  of  the  Cygnet  Oil 
Producing  and  Refining  Company,  for  even  the  of 
ficers  of  these  small  divisions  would  be  helpful  fac 
tors  in  furthering  the  designs  of  this  grand  organiza 
tion. 

At  this  particular  time,  there  was  great  activity 
among  practical  men  whose  experience  taught  them 
that  certain  inventions  were  demanded  to  help  accom 
plish  the  work  of  drilling  to  the  oil-bearing  sands, 
storing  and  transporting  the  oil,  increasing  the  sup 
ply  from  wells,  etc.,  and  the  keen  president  of  the 
Cygnet  saw  the  advantage  to  be  gained  by  getting 
control  of  all  the  patents  which  promised  to  be  of 
value,  lest  they  be  retained  by  impious  hands.  A 
separate  branch  of  the  company  was  created  for  this 
special  purpose,  and,  though  operating  under  a  dis- 


48  Cfte  Spotter* 

tinct  charter,  it  was  directed  by  Lanphere  and  was 
financed  by  those  who  were  associated  with  him. 

It  consumed  time  to  accomplish  all  of  this,  but 
not  nearly  so  much  as  might  be  expected.  Lanphere 
was  a  prodigious  worker,  and  he  had  an  abundance  of 
money  at  his  command.  Step  by  step,  the  Cygnet  Oil 
Producing  and  Refining  Company  extended  its 
sphere  of  influence  over  these  various  bodies,  and 
through  channels  too  numerous  here  to  set  forth,  until 
its  stockholders — the  Representatives  of  Providence 
— might  complacently  look  around  them  and  see  the 
perfect  workings  of  a  magnificent  machine.  jSTo  mat- 
mer  what  might  be  desired,  means  were  at  hand 
through  which  the  end  could  be  accomplished. 

The  Cygnet  Company  saw  and  realized  the  value 
of  the  Cameron  farm,  and  its  agents  were  put  to 
work,  with  instructions  either  to  buy  or  to  lease  the 
property.  In  various  guises  they  had  been  coming  to 
Cameron  for  a  year.  Mrs.  Fisher  was  one  of  them. 
President  Lanphere  thought  that  this  woman  who 
had  leaped  from  penury  to  prosperity,  an  old  neigh 
bor  of  the  Camerons,  might  be  able  to  excite  the  cu 
pidity  of  the  owner  of  the  place,  or  at  least  to  sow  the 
seeds  of  discontent  with  his  wife  or  daughter.  But 
Mrs.  Fisher  signally  failed,  as  all  others  had  failed, 
and  the  reports  which  were  constantly  borne  to  Presi 
dent  Lanphere's  ears  were  that  the  Scotchman  re 
mained  obstinate  and  would  neither  sell  nor  lease. 


49 


"Give  him  his  price,"  said  Lanphere,  "and  get  rid 
of  him." 

"He  has  no  price,  sir." 

"What,  no  price,  and  living  in  this  age  of  the 
world!" 

"Yes,  sir.  He  declares  that  he  has  no  use  for  the 
money,  and  that  it  would  be  a  curse  to  him." 

"Has  an  attempt  been  made  to  approach  him 
through  his  minister?  Sometimes  the  clergy  find  it 
to  their  advantage  to  take  an  interest  in  such  mat 
ters." 

"Cameron  Valley  has  no  minister  now,  sir,  since 
most  of  the  natives  left  there.  You  know  that  several 
of  his  former  neighbors  have  been  called  upon,  but 
without  success." 

"H-m-m.    We  may  have  to  squeeze  him." 

"But  there  appears  to  be  no  easy  way  to  do  that, 
sir.  Cameron  doesn't  owe  a  penny,  has  about  ten 
thousand  dollars  in  the  Bradan  National  Bank,  and 
is  making  enough  from  his  farm  and  stock  to  more 
than  support  his  family  every  year." 

"Has  the  title  to  his  farm  been  looked  up  ?  Many 
of  these  Pennsylvania  lands  have  back  taxes  against 
them,  and  we  have  found  such  claims  to  be  advan 
tageous  to  us  in  the  past." 

"Cameron's  title  is  without  a  flaw.  He  has  attend 
ed  to  that." 

"We  might  take  him  into  the  company." 

"He  would  not  think  of  it,  sir.    Bullis,  who  knows 


so  Cfie 

something  of  him,  sounded  him  on  that  proposition. 
Bullis  led  up  to  the  subject  by  saying  that  he  thought 
of  buying  some  Cygnet  stock,  and  gave  Cameron  an 
idea  of  what  it  is  doing  in  dividends.  He  told  Cam 
eron  that  a  block  of  the  stock  could  be  secured  for 
him,  too,  if  he  desired,  but  the  fellow  declared  that 
he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Bullis  says 
that  the  Scotchman  denounced  the  Cygnet  in  round 
terms." 

"Denounced  us,  did  he?  What  did  he  have  to 
say?" 

"Said  it  was  a  monopoly  that  would  leave  in  its 
wake  the  wreck  of  every  independent  concern  that 
dared  attempt  competition.  That  it  was  throttling 
individual  effort,  absorbing  or  crushing  opposition, 
and  by  single  control  of  the  market,  was  putting  mil 
lions  that  were  practically  stolen  from  the  people  into 
its  treasury  and  the  pockets  of  its  stockholders." 

President  Lanphere  listened  with  open-mouthed  as 
tonishment.  "The  poor,  ignorant,  misguided  man !" 
he  said,  with  a  show  of  deep  emotion.  "He  has  heard 
some  of  this  talk  from  those  who  refuse  to  see  the 
great  mission  for  the  good  of  mankind  upon  which 
the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company  has 
entered.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  way  is  not  pro 
vided  to  punish  such  slanderers,  who  go  about  poison 
ing  the  minds  of  uninformed  men.  I  think  I  will 
see  Mr.  Cameron  in  person,  and  disabuse  him  of 


C!)e  Spotter,  si 

those  erroneous  impressions.  Please  send  Wheeler 
to  me  as  you  pass  through  the  office." 

The  clerk  bowed  and  left  the  room.  As  the  door 
closed,  the  benevolent  look  that  overspread  President 
Lanphere's  face  during  the  interview,  disappeared  in 
a  flash. 

"Damn  this  Scotch  meddler !"  he  ejaculated,  strik 
ing  his  desk  with  his  clenched  fist.  "I'll  bring  him  to 
my  terms  if  I  have  to  wreck  the  Bradan  bank  to 
do  it." 


52  C6e 


CHAPTEK  VI. 

AN  AGENT  OF  THE  INSTRUMENT. 

ELI  WHEELEK,  a  cat-like,  soft-spoken  man,  entered 
the  president's  office  and  approached  his  chief  with  a 
deferential  air.  Wheeler  was  one  of  those  men  whose 
age  is  not  easy  to  place  at  a  guess,  but  he  was  prob 
ably  about  forty-five.  He  was  tall,  narrow-chested, 
and  had  shoulders  that  sloped  sharply,  like  the  roof 
of  a  Queen  Anne  cottage,  into  unusually  long  arms. 
His  face  was  remarkable  only  for  his  shifting  eyes, 
which  were  so  constantly  moving  from  one  object 
to  another  that  it  was  difficult  to  determine  their 
color.  He  wore  a  luxuriant  brown  beard,  after  a 
mutton-chop  fashion,  and  through  this  the  long  fin 
gers  of  his  restless  hands  were  constantly  combing. 
He  was  faultlessly  clad,  with  one  exception — his 
linen  was  dirty;  as  if  to  give  character  to  the  man 
who  wore  it.  You  made  up  your  mind  as  soon  as 
you  saw  Eli  Wheeler  that  you  did  not  like  him,  but 
when  he  spoke,  you  hesitated.  There  was  a  good 
deal  of  humility  in  his  voice,  and  his  tone  smacked 
slightly  of  the  professional  exhorters,  who  were  so 


53 

common  forty  years  ago.  Still  it  had  an  earnestness 
and  convincing  quality  tliat  surprised  you  when  you 
looked  at  the  man,  and  if  you  listened  long  you  began 
to  think  that  you  possibly  had  misjudged  Wheeler, 
and  that  there  really  was  about  him  more  of  candor 
and  truth  than  the  first  glance  at  his  face  led  you  to 
think.  It  was  never  what  Eli  Wheeler  said  that 
gave  you  even  a  fleeting  thought  in  his  favor,  but  the 
way  he  said  it. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Wheeler,"  said  President  Lanphere, 
turning  from  his  desk  as  the  man  approached,  "sit 
down.  I  want  to  talk  with  you  about  this  Cameron 
business.  You  know — ah,  that  is,  I  suppose  you  have 
heard  that  the  owner  of  that  undeveloped  tract  over 
Tuna  way,  refuses  either  to  sell  or  to  lease  his 
property." 

"Something,  something,  Mr.  Lanphere — I  have 
heard  just  a  little  rumor;  a  rumor,  as  it  were,"  re 
plied  Wheeler,  plunging  deeply  into  his  whiskers.  "I 
have  not  attempted  to  find  out  anything  about  it,  Mr. 
Lanphere,  being  engaged  recently,  as  you  may  remem 
ber,  upon  another  part  of  our  grand  work." 

"Yes,  yes;  to  be  sure.  I  have  been  looking  over 
your  report  and  must  say  that  you  have  executed  that 
commission  quite  to  my  satisfaction — quite  to  my 
satisfaction.  There  is  no  defect  in  the  titles,  Mr. 
Wheeler?" 

"None  whatever.    They  are  flawless." 

"I  see  you  state  that  you  have  purchased  in  your 


54  Cbe  ^potter, 

name,  as  usual,  and  that  you  did  not  find  it  necessary 
to  give  a  bond  to  keep  the  properties  in  operation. 
How  was  that?" 

"A  bond  was  suggested  by  the  independents  some 
times,  but  Judge  Purser,  who  happened  to  be  present 
always,  said  that  such  a  suggestion  was  an  insult 
to  an  honest  inventor,  who  had  come  among  them 
with  the  best  of  motives ;  and  then  they  said  no  more 
about  it" 

"Judge  Purser  is  an  ornament  to  the  bench,"  said 
the  president  devoutly.  "How  many  refineries  have 
you  purchased  in  the  last  month,  Mr.  Wheeler  ?" 

"This  last  purchase  makes  the  seventh,  Mr.  Lan- 
phere." 

"And  I  hear  you  have  shut  them  all  up,  Mr. 
Wheeler." 

"Every  one,  sir,  but  temporarily,  it  is  understood 
in  oil  circles.  The  truth  is,  I  can't  afford  to  operate 
them  with  refined  oil  at  its  present  price,  and  may 
never  open  them  again,  sir.  I  am  afraid  that  I  have 
lost  all  that  I  invested  in  these  enterprises,  and  with 
it  the  sums  which  independent  purchasers  advanced 
for  stock  in  my  refineries."  And  the  snaky  fingers 
twisted  and  twined  through  his  beard  with  nervous 
twitches. 

President  Lanphere  leaned  back  with  a  satisfied 
smile  on  his  thin,  hard  lips.  Then,  glancing  at 
Wheeler,  he  winked,  slowly,  solemnly  and  devoutly, 
as  became  a  man  at  the  head  of  a  great  beneficient  in- 


C&e  Spotter*  55 

stitution.  "Wheeler,"  he  said,  "you  are  a  rare  friend 
to  the  Cygnet,  and  through  that  to  mankind  at  large. 
I  have  directed  a  substantial  increase  in  your  salary, 
which  I  hope  you  will  not  refuse,  though  of  course  I 
realize  that  your  service  is  mainly  prompted  from 
philanthropic  motives.  Oh,  no,  it  will  not  be  any 
hardship,  I  assure  you.  The  price  of  refined  oil  will 
advance  about  two  dollars  a  barrel  at  the  proper  time, 
and  as  there  is  no  possibility  for  an  increase  in  the 
price  of  crude,  the  profit  will  be  quite  sufficient,  quite 
sufficient,  to  handsomely  reward  those  engaged  with 
us  in  carrying  out  the  designs  of  Providence.  The 
closing  of  independent  refineries  makes  this  possibly 
— ah,  I  may  say — almost  a  necessity.  Refined  oil 
has  been  selling  too  low,  and  people  have  fallen  into 
the  habit  of  using  it  too  lavishly.  It  may  be  well  to 
check  this — ah,  recklessness." 

After  this  manner,  these  two  master  hands  at  dis 
sembling  sparred  with  each  other  several  minutes, 
and  when  they  had  convinced  the  desks  and  chairs, 
the  walls  and  the  pictures  which  hung  upon  them,  of 
their  purpose,  they  returned  to  the  subject  of  Duncan 
Cameron. 

"I  want  you  to  go  over  with  me  to  see  this  man 
Cameron  to-morrow,  Mr.  Wheeler,"  said  the  Cygnet's 
president.  "He  is  resisting  the  company,  for  his 
farm  lies  just  where  we  want  to  put  up  considerable 
tankage  and  it  is  evidently  good  producing  land.  Be 
side  that,  he  is  talking  heresy  and  stirring  up  sedi- 


56 


tion  and  giving  comfort  to  the  independents.  The 
good  of  the  work  demands  that  he  be  got  rid  of — 
peaceably,  if  we  can,  but — ah,  any  other  way,  if  he 
will  not  listen  to  reason." 

"I  always  feel  so  sorry  for  a  poor  man  who  won't 
listen  to  reason,  Mr.  Lanphere,"  said  Wheeler,  re 
leasing  his  beard  for  the  moment  and  bringing  out 
his  handkerchief.  "Why,  all  the  argument  is  on  our 
side.  The  press" — and  he  told  off  one  corner  of  the 
handkerchief — "recognizes  the  great  benefit  that  will 
accrue  to  mankind  by  the  fullest  possible  development 
of  our  plans.  The  brightest  minds  in  the  legislature 
of  our  Great  Commonwealth" — and  he  released  an 
other  corner — "stand  ready  to  champion  such  meas 
ures  as  may  be  necessary  for  our  unhampered  prog 
ress.  The  courts" — and  the  third  corner  fluttered 
out — "have  given  the  most  liberal  interpretation  to 
statutes  in  our  interests  and  have  often  exercised 
their  discretion  and  wisdom  to  aid  us  in  this  progres 
sive  march.  Capital" — and  the  handkerchief  spread 
out  upon  his  knees — "the  men  who  have  had  the 
brains  to  accumulate  money,  the  thinking,  planning 
men  of  every  community,  endorse  our  position  by 
standing  ready  to  purchase  every  dollar's  worth  of 
stock  that  goes  upon  the  market.  But  some  men  close 
their  eyes  to  evidence  and  turn  deaf  ears  to  argu 
ment" — and  he  folded  the  square  of  linen  in  half. 
"They  are  constantly  striving  to  start  rival  com 
panies" — another  fold — "or  to  invoke  the  law!" — 


C&e  Spotter.  sr 


again  a  fold.  "As  I  think  them  over"  —  his  bony 
hand  seized  the  pad  of  linen  and  held  it  in  a  grip  of 
steel  —  "I  am  reminded  that  all,  as  St.  Paul  said, 
have  found  it  hard  to  kick  against  the  pricks."  And 
Wheeler  tucked  the  handkerchief  away  in  his  pocket 
without  again  letting  it  see  the  light. 

"Quite  right,  Mr.  Wheeler,  you  are  always  quite 
clear  and  right  in  your  reasoning.  You  may  have 
time  during  the  afternoon  to  make  some  inquiries  of 
Hughes  concerning  the  Cameron  matter,  and  I  will 
talk  more  with  you  to-morrow  on  the  way  over.  We 
will  go  by  the  narrow  gauge.  Oh  —  yes,  by  the  way, 
Mr.  Wheeler,  I  heard  up  at  Bradan  that  you  have 
discovered  a  family  that  might  be  quite  useful  to  you 
in  your  private  enterprise.  Let  me  see  —  the  name,  I 
think,  is  Stubbs." 

"Just  Tubbs,  Mr.  Lanphere;  leave  off  the  first  S. 
I  was  about  to  tell  you  of  them." 

"Much  cash?" 

"Well,  say  forty  thousand  cash  and  a  sixteenth' 
royalty  on  ten  good  wells.  Tubbs  owned  the  tract 
just  west  of  the  Cameron  farm  and  sold  to  that 
Forestville  company  which  we  closed  out  -  " 

"Absorbed,  absorbed,  Mr.  Wheeler." 

"  -  absorbed  last  fall,"  corrected  Wheeler. 

"H-m-m  —  large  family  ?" 

"No;  only  four." 

"Tell  me  of  them." 

"Tubbs  —  old-fashioned.,  weak,  a  hen-pecked  non- 


58  Cjje  Spotter* 

entity ;  Mrs.  Tubbs — vain,  ignorant,  crazy  to  get  into 
society,  silly,  garrulous;  daughter — handsome,  ambi 
tious,  silly,  but  teachable;  son — gambler,  bummer, 
pickpocket,  highwayman  or  anything  you  want  him 
to  be." 

"De-cidedly  interesting.  They  are  worth  cultivat 
ing,  Mr.  Wheeler,  especially  as  Tubbs  and  the  boy 
might  easily  be  got  rid  of — and  you  are  a  widower." 

Wheeler's  shifting  eyes  nearly  closed  as  he  looked 
for  an  instant  into  the  face  of  his  chief,  but  he  made 
no  reply. 


C6e  Spotter,  50 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  TEMPTATION  EMBBACED. 

IT  was  approaching  noon  the  next  day  when  Eli 
Wheeler,  driving  a  team  attached  to  a  light  road 
wagon,  drew  up  at  the  Cameron  farm  house,  tied  his 
horses  to  the  fence,  and  sought  the  owner  of  the 
place.  Cameron  was  at  work  in  his  garden  and  be 
trayed  no  desire  to  cease  his  labors  for  the  purpose 
of  talking  with  his  visitor,  whom  he  at  once  placed  in 
the  class  of  those  who  so  constantly  annoyed  him  with 
offers  to  buy  or  lease.  It  was  evident  that  the  last 
few  months  had  been  unpleasant  ones  for  Cameron, 
as  he  had  grown  pale,  thin  and  nervous,  from  his  con 
stant  vigils  to  guard  his  possessions  from  trespass  and 
destruction.  Then,  too,  he  had  been  compelled  to  do 
all  the  work  upon  the  farm,  for  there  were  so  many 
opportunities  for  young  men  to  get  employment  on 
the  neighboring  wells  at  large  pay,  that  he  could 
secure  none  to  engage  in  common  farm  drudgery. 
Mrs.  Cameron  and  Agnes  had  long  been  convinced 
that  he  was  wearing  himself  out  in  what  appeared  to 
them  a  vain  attempt  to  keep  the  home  he  so 


eo  Cfie 

deeply  loved  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  those 
whom  he  looked  upon  as  vandals.  Several  times  they 
pleaded  with  him  to  dispose  of  his  holdings,  and  go 
away  where  they  would  neither  hear  of  the  oil-coun 
try  nor  be  disturbed  by  its  sights ;  but  they  soon  saw 
that  he  grew  suspicious  even  of  them,  and  looked 
upon  them  as  in  league  with  some  of  the  numerous 
agents  who  were  constantly  besieging  him.  So  they 
abandoned  the  attempt,  and  set  cheerfully  to  work  to 
give  him  every  possible  aid. 

Wheeler  put  forth  his  most  consummate  arts  to  en 
gage  Cameron  in  conversation,  and  though  he  re 
ceived  half-civil  replies  from  the  Scotchman,  he  made 
little  progress  and  was  nearly  at  his  wit's  end  when 
.Cameron  turned  suddenly  upon  him. 

"See  here,  sir,"  he  said,  "you  are  not  present  to 
talk  upon  the  prospects  for  crops,  nor  to  compliment 
me  upon  my  garden  or  the  growth  of  my  meadows, 
which  I  can  get  no  man  to  help  me  harvest.  Out  with 
your  business  and  have  done  with  it." 

"Well,  you  see,  Mr.  Cameron,  I  am  Eli  Wheeler, 
the  man  who  is  trying  to  establish  a  chain  of  inde 
pendent  refineries  with  which  to  fight  the  Cygnet  Oil 
Producing  and  Refining  Company.  ~No  doubt  you 
have  heard  something  of  me  ?" 

"Aye,  a  bit." 

"I  have  watched  from  afar  your  fight  to  hold  this 
property  from  the  Cygnet  Company  and  have  prayed 
night  and  day  that  you  might  hold  on  till  I  could 


C6e 

complete  some  other  moves  in  my  great  plan  and 
come  here  to  see  you.  I  believe,  Mr.  Cameron,  that 
Providence  has  inspired  your  noble  contest.  It  has 
been  in  my  mind  that  you  were  raised  up  as  an  in 
strument  to  further  and  aid  the  struggle  the  inde 
pendents  are  making  against  this  grasping  and  never- 
satisfied  monopoly.  This  thought  has  comforted  me 
as  in  my  own  humble  way  I  have  pushed  on  in  the 
work  in  which  I  have  enlisted,  and  when  discouraged 
and  disheartened  by  the  obstacles  which  have  been 
thrown  in  my  path,  when  tempted  sometimes  to  give 
up  all  I  have  accomplished,  and  see  my  hopes  dashed 
to  the  ground,  I  have  turned  my  eyes  in  this  direc 
tion  and  received  new  strength  and  inspiration  from 
seeing  that  a  contest  equally  as  brave  was  being  car 
ried  on  by  Duncan  Cameron." 

Cameron  rested  his  folded  arms  on  the  top  of  the 
handle  of  his  hoe  and  looked  straight  across  them  at 
the  man  who  was  speaking.  Wheeler's  face  was  a 
study.  His  eyes  were  as  steady  now  as  the  light  of  a 
planet,  for  he  sighted  his  game  and  could  not  be  di 
verted.  He  appeared  like  a  man  who  had  at  heart  a 
great  mission,  which  urged  him  on  and  on  against  ob 
stacles  that  hurled  themselves  into  his  pathway  from 
every  side.  His  earnestness  gave  him  that  look  which 
comes  into  the  face  of  the  kindly  humanitarian,  and 
in  his  voice  and  manner  of  speaking  there  was  the 
ring  of  true  courage.  ISTot  once  did  his  long  fore 
fingers  pursue  their  favorite  chase  through  his  beard, 


62 

for  they  were  clenched  to  hold  them  back,  as  though 
grasping  the  shoulders  of  the  monster  with  which  he 
was  making  his  sham-fight. 

"Let  me  say  to  you,  Mr.  Cameron,  that  the  knowl 
edge  of  what  you  have  done  is  not  confined  to  this  lo 
cality.  In  the  lower  district,  where  I  have  been  at 
work  securing  seven  refineries,  all  of  which  are  in 
successful  operation,  men  know  what  you  are  doing 
here  and  are  hoping  that  you  will  not  surrender. 
Hundreds  of  them  would  feel  it  an  honor  to  grasp 
your  hand  and  thank  you  for  your  bravery." 

"I  am  entitled  to  no  credit  for  my  action,"  said 
Cameron  quietly,  "for  it  has  been  a  selfish  fight  on 
my  part  and  was  carried  on  merely  that  I  might  re 
tain  my  farm." 

"But  the  example,  Mr.  Cameron,  the  example  has 
been  helpful  to  the  oppressed  producers  in  every  cor 
ner  of  the  oil-fields.  I  cannot  look  upon  it  as  in  the 
least  selfish  on  your  part.  You  have  been  standing 
here  like  a  rock,  holding  impregnable  a  position  that 
to-day  can  be  taken  advantage  of  if  you  desire  and 
thus  make  it  possible  to  deal  this  band  of  gentlemanly 
robbers  the  hardest  blow  they  have  ever  received." 

"What  is  your  plan,  Mr.  Wheeler  ?" 

O,  Duncan  Cameron,  Duncan  Cameron!  did  no 
echo  of  the  warning  you  spoke  to  simple  old  Jim 
Tubbs  come  to  your  ears  ?  Did  not  the  prudence  and 
caution  of  your  forefathers  wave  the  danger  signal 
before  your  eyes  ? 


Cfje 

"It  is  this,  Mr.  Cameron,"  replied  Wheeler,  with 
out  betraying  the  least  satisfaction.  "If  I  under 
stand  the  situation  correctly,  you  own  two  hundred 
acres  here  which  the  Cygnet  Company  cannot  buy  ?" 

"That  is  true." 

"And  there  are  still  within  easy  reach  of,  or  ad 
joining  your  place  several  independent  tracts  upon 
which  the  Cygnet  has  not  laid  hands  ?" 

"Yes,  sir — twenty  good  producing  wells,  from 
which  the  Cygnet  refuses  to  take  the  oil  to  its  re 
fineries  or  to  give  the  owners  tankage.  But  the  own 
ers  are  becoming  discouraged,  for  their  money  is  in 
the  ground,  and  they  are  on  the  eve  of  selling  out." 

"Then  there  is  no  time  to  lose  and  they  must  be 
encouraged  to  hold  on,"  replied  Wheeler  in  assumed 
alarm.  "That  being  the  case,  Mr.  Cameron,  my  plan 
is  to  establish  here  on  this  spot  an  independent  refin 
ery  that  will  not  only  take  care  of  the  oil  from  the 
twenty  independent  wells  of  which  you  have  spoken, 
but  which  will  also  refine  the  product  of  every  well 
that  can  be  drilled  upon  your  two  hundred  acres !" 

Cameron's  eyes  were  dimmed  with  a  mist  that 
sprang  to  them,  and  through  the  swimming  tears  he 
saw  the  smoking  stills,  the  rows  of  reeking  barrels, 
the  groaning  derricks,  the  rum-shops,  and  shanties, 
and  striving  men,  and  disorder,  where  now  lay  peace 
ful  meadows,  an  orchard  bursting  into  perfection,  and 
rolling  pastures  in  which  were  grazing  the  animals 
he  loved. 


"It  is  a  bold  project/'  continued  Wheeler,  speak 
ing  partly  to  himself  and  clasping  his  hands  as  if  to 
calm  his  excitement.  "If  we  can  launch  it  without 
our  intentions  becoming  known,  it  will  be  a  blow  that 
will  stagger  the  Cygnet  to  its  knees,  and  all  over  the 
oil-country  the  independents  will  take  heart  and  rally 
to  the  final  struggle  that  will  set  them  free."  And 
then  baring  his  head  and  turning  his  face  heaven 
ward,  he  appeared  to  murmur  under  breath  a  prayer 
for  guidance. 

"Your  pardon,  Mr.  Cameron,"  he  continued,  "but 
I  feel  so  deeply  in  this  matter  and  see  so  vividly  how 
much  there  is  at  stake,  that  often  I  am  quite  beside 
myself.  Oh,  if  you  knew,  as  I  do,  how  this  slimy 
monster  is  reaching  out  like  a  mighty  octopus,  em 
bracing  within  its  grasp  every  factor  with  which  it 
may  further  its  ends,  you  would  not  wonder  at  my 
emotion,  but  would  marvel  how  men  can  submit  to 
the  forging  of  chains  upon  their  hands." 

"I  know  enough  of  the  Cygnet  and  its  methods  to 
convince  me  that  it  is  the  instrument  of  the  devil, 
sir,"  said  Cameron;  "and  I  believe  it  is  my  duty  to 
join  you  in  your  noble  fight  against  it." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Cameron,  thank  you !"  exclaimed 
Wheeler,  seizing  both  of  Duncan's  hands.  "I  can 
not  express  what  is  in  my  heart.  Forgive  my  weak 
ness."  Tears  coursed  down  the  man's  cheeks  and  his 
voice  was  broken  by  sobs.  After  a  time  Wheeler  re 
gained  his  composure,  and  then  he  proceeded :  "Your 


Cfte  ^pottet.  65 


name  will  be  honored  for  this,  Mr.  Cameron,  in  ten 
thousand  homes,  for  it  is  one  of  the  noblest  acts  in  the 
history  of  this  great  struggle.  I  know  the  sacrifice 
is  a  heavy  one;  but  you  will  not  lose  by  it,  for  the 
consciousness  of  having  done  something  to  aid  one's 
fellowmen  is  the  greatest  compensation  that  can  come 
to  one.  Nor  will  there  be  any  money  loss,  for  we 
cannot  fail.  The  B.,  B.  &  K  narrow  gauge  is  now 
within  three  miles  of  this  spot,  and  when  completed 
will  pass  but  half-a-mile  below,  as  the  projectors  have 
assured  me.  The  Cygnet  cannot  cut  us  off  from  the 
market,  and  with  public  opinion  on  our  side  our  suc 
cess  is  assured." 

An  hour  later,  Wheeler  entered  his  wagon  and 
drove  away.  There  was  in  his  manner  no  trace  of 
exultation  nor  had  one  word  passed  his  lips  or  a 
glance  escaped  his  eyes  that  betrayed  in  the  slightest 
the  game  he  had  played.  By  slow  degrees  he  unfold 
ed  his  plan,  leading  Cameron  on,  step  by  step,  and 
often  leaving  his  victim  to  make  suggestions  which  he 
adopted  or  from  which  he  steered  adroitly  away  as 
might  be  necessary  for  his  purpose.  In  brief,  his 
plan  was  as  follows:  They  would  become  principal 
stockholders  in  a  company  to  be  known  as  the  Cam 
eron  Farm  Company,  capitalized  at  one  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  Cameron  was  to  put  in  the 
farm  at  fifty  thousand  dollars,  "which  is  nothing 
near  what  it  is  worth,"  said  Wheeler,  "but  it  will  be 
impossible  for  me  to  raise  more  than  sixty-five  thou- 


66 

sand  dollars  on  short  notice  without  greater  sacrifice 
than  I  dare  make,  or  without  exciting  suspicion,  and 
we  must  move  with  the  utmost  secrecy,  you  know." 
However,  Wheeler  proposed  to  give  Cameron  a  writ 
ing  to  the  effect  that  when  the  production  from  the 
wells  which  might  be  drilled  on  the  tract,  or  the  pro 
ceeds  from  sections  they  might  lease,  reached  a  cer 
tain  amount,  the  overplus  should  be  paid  to  Cameron 
for  his  greater  interest.  There  was  to  Cameron's 
credit  approximately  ten  thousand  dollars  in  the 
Bradan  bank,  and  this  with  the  four  thousand  dol 
lars  he  expected  to  raise  from  the  sale  of  his  stock, 
was  to  make  up  his  share.  Wheeler  would  deposit  to 
the  credit  of  the  company  within  ten  days  his  share 
in  cash.  By  that  time  the  incorporation  papers  could 
be  prepared  and  the  stock  be  issued. 

"There  is  but  one  lawyer  anywhere  in  the  State 
whom  we  can  trust  to  draw  our  papers  and  not 
breathe  a  word  of  our  intentions  to  the  Cygnet  peo 
ple,"  said  Wheeler,  "and  that  is  Judge  Purser  of 
Clarion  County.  The  Cygnet  has  pretty  nearly  all 
of  them  in  its  pay,  and  so  I  think  it  will  be  best  to 
send  for  him.  He  has  done  all  of  my  business,  so 
far,  and  is  deeply  interested  in  the  work.  I  can 
recommend  him  as  a  noble-minded  jurist,  and  if  you 
have  none  to  suggest,  I  will  telegraph  him  to-night 
to  come  on." 

"Certainly,"  said  Cameron.  "I  know  none  of 
them  and  will  leave  the  selection  to  you.'" 


C&e  Spotter,  67 

"I  have  thought  this  out  with  great  care,  Mr. 
Cameron,"  continued  Wheeler,  "and  you  will  notice 
by  running  over  the  figures  that  we  still  have  one 
thousand  dollars  stock  unprovided  for.  This  I  would 
propose  to  give  to  Judge  Purser  for  his  services,  in 
addition  to  the  expenses  of  his  trip.  He  is  a  man  of 
great  influence  among  the  independents,  and  has  done 
so  much  for  their  cause  that  he  is  identified  with 
them  in  all  things.  His  name  as  one  of  our  stock 
holders  would  be  a  powerful  factor  in  our  favor 
when  we  begin  operations — and  I  assure  you,  Mr. 
Cameron,  we  will  need  his  experience,  counsel  and 
legal  knowledge  before  we  are  through  with  this 
struggle." 

So  Wheeler  took  his  leave,  with  the  understand 
ing  that  he  would  return  the  third  day  after  and 
bring  Judge  Purser  with  him,  for  the  whole  business 
could  be  transacted  there  at  the  farm-house,  where  in 
quisitive  persons  might  not  pry  upon  their  delibera 
tions  and  reveal  the  nature  of  the  proposed  enter 
prise  to  their  enemies. 

He  sat  half-bowed  in  his  wagon,  like  a  man  upon 
whose  shoulders  rests  the  weight  of  a  tremendous 
task.  He  passed  a  bend  in  the  road,  but  his  man 
ner  did  not  change  and  he  looked  straight  ahead  of 
him  and  held  the  reins  in  a  listless  manner.  An 
other  bend  led  him  through  a  bit  of  woods,  and  then 
on  over  a  sharp  hill.  He  was  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  Cameron  farm  when  he  straightened  up 


68  c&e  Spotter, 

and  cast  a  quick  glance  behind  him.  There  was  no 
longer  need  for  control,  and  in  an  instant  Eli  Wheeler 
became  himself.  Writhing  and  wriggling  in  the  seat, 
thrusting  his  long  legs  out  over  the  wagon  box  and 
drawing  them  back  again,  chuckling  to  himself  in 
much  the  same  manner  that  a  dog  growls  and  mut 
ters  as  it  gnaws  at  the  bone  it  has  wrested  from  the 
companion  of  its  kennel,  his  eyes  shifting  and  squint 
ing  as  though  to  make  up  for  lost  time,  the  unscrupu 
lous  tool  of  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Refining 
Company  went  on  his  way. 

Just  before  the  train  was  due  at  the  station, 
Wheeler  left  the  hotel  where  he  had  procured  his 
team  and  eaten  his  dinner.  Lanphere  was  pacing 
slowly  up  and  down  the  platform,  but  they  apparently 
did  not  recognize  each  other.  When  they  were  crowd 
ing  into  the  coach,  WTheeler  was  close  beside  his  chief, 
who  turned  and  spoke  one  word  of  inquiry : 

"Hooked?" 

"Sure  as  hell,"  replied  Wheeler  in  an  undertone. 

'A  young  man  in  the  throng  of  passengers  on  the 
platform  heard  the  inquiry  and  reply  and  thought  it 
a  strange  salutation  to  pass  between  President  Henry 
Lanphere  and  an  apparent  stranger.  A  long  time 
afterward  he  remembered  the  occurrence  to  advan 
tage. 


Cfje  Spotter.  69 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

A    WAENING   UNHEEDED. 

CAMERON  remained  standing  in  the  road  where 
they  had  been  talking  until  Wheeler  disappeared 
from  sight.  He  was  wondering  how  his  wife  and 
daughter  would  look  upon  this  change  of  purpose,  for 
no  longer  ago  than  when  they  were  seated  at  the 
breakfast  table  he  had  brought  the  subject  up — as  he 
did  on  every  possible  occasion  of  late — and  reiterated 
for  at  least  the  thousandth  time  his  determination  to 
hang  on. 

Mrs.  Cameron,  however,  gave  him  little  leisure  to 
think  it  over,  for  she  had  noted  from  the  house 
her  husband's  long  conference  with  the  visitor 
and  their  very  cordial  farewells.  Scarcely  had 
Wheeler  driven  around  the  first  bend  in  the  road,  be 
fore  she  stepped  into  the  yard,  filled  with  its 
pretty  flower  beds  and  well-kept  shrubbery,  seeking 
her  husband.  She  was  a  comely,  bright-faced  woman, 
who  happily  retained  the  beauty  of  her  girlhood  to 
mingle  with  the  riper  bloom  of  maturer  years.  There 
was,  in  these  latter  weeks,  a  trace  of  anxiety  in  her 


TO  Cfje  Spotter, 

countenance,  half -saddening  her  smile  and  touching 
her  eyes  with  a  tinge  of  sorrow  or  of  unknown  fear. 
However,  she  did  not  permit  this  slight  apprehension 
to  mar  her  wholesome  heartiness  and  uniform  good 
spirits,  for  Alice  Cameron  was  not  the  kind  of 
woman  to  borrow  from  the  future  any  trouble  it 
might  have  in  store. 

"Who  was  your  visitor,  Duncan  ?"  she  called  to 
her  husband.  "Another  land  speculator?" 

"No,  Alice — no,  and  yes,"  he  replied,  as  he  ap 
proached  the  gate.  "His  name  is  Eli  Wheeler." 

"It  is  not  familiar,"  said  Mrs.  Cameron,  after  a 
moment's  thought,  in  which  her  mind  dwelt  more 
upon  her  husband's  manner  than  upon  Wheeler's 
identity.  "Nor  is  his  face  one  that  I  recall." 

"No,  he  is  a  stranger  to  you,  Alice,  but  I  have 
heard  much  about  his  work  in  buying  up  the  inde 
pendent  refineries  in  the  lower  country.  However, 
you  are  likely  to  know  more  of  him  in  the  future, 
for  I  have  entered  into  partnership  with  him." 

"Duncan — Duncan  Cameron!"  she  exclaimed, 
catching  him  by  the  arm  and  peering  into  his  face. 
"Are  you  daft,  man,  or  are  you  trying  the  effect  of  a 
little  joke  ?" 

"No,  Alice,  I  do  not  think  I  am  daft,  though  I 
may  not  be  so  good  a  judge  of  that  as  others.  Let  us 
walk  along  to  the  spring  and  I  will  tell  you  the  whole 
plan ;  but  this  you  must  remember,  that  for  the  pres 
ent  no  word  of  it  must  be  told,  even  to  Agnes." 


C&e 

"Why,  Duncan,  since  these  terrible  people  have 
surrounded  us,  neither  Agnes  nor  myself  see  any 
body  to  whom  anything  could  be  told.  We  have  no 
confidants  here,  except  yourself  and  Don." 

"I  know — I  know.  But,  Alice,  it  shall  not  be  so 
a  great  time  longer.  We — that  is,  you  and  Agnes,  are 
very  soon  to  leave  here.  I  remain  to  see  that  which  I 
have  endeavored  to  bring  to  perfection  torn  and 
marred  by  all  the  hideous  details  of  oil  develop 
ment." 

Thunderstruck  at  his  words  and  alarmed  by  his 
manner,  Mrs.  Cameron  took  her  husband's  arm  and 
they  sauntered  slowly  to  the  spring.  On  the  way, 
Cameron  gave  her  the  full  details  of  the  agreement 
into  which  he  had  entered  with  Wheeler.  They  were 
seated  on  the  bank  from  which  the  clear,  cold  stream 
of  splendid  water  flowed,  and  Mrs.  Cameron  looked 
steadfastly  into  the  limpid  pools  as  though  endeav 
oring  to  read  therein  what  the  future  might  hold 
for  this  suddenly  accepted  venture. 

"Duncan,"  she  said  at  length.  "What  do  you 
know  of  this  man  ?  Has  an  hour's  acquaintance  con 
vinced  you  that  he  is  honest,  and  that  it  will  be  en 
tirely  safe  to  risk  all  you  have  in  this  endeavor  ?" 

"Personally,  I  know  nothing  of  Wheeler  except 
what  I  have  observed  to-day.  Some  of  the  papers, 
and  some  producers  whom  I  have  met  told  about 
his  great  achievements  in  purchasing  a  number 
of  refineries  in  the  lower  country  and  keep- 


72  C&e  Spotter, 

ing  them  open  for  the  benefit  of  the  struggling  inde> 
pendents.  Very  many  believe  that  through  Eli 
Wheeler  and  those  who  unite  with  him  will  come  the 
only  competition  that  may  be  expected  to  break  the 
increasing  power  of  this  accursed  monopoly.  Hun 
dreds  of  men — nay,  thousands — have  trusted  him  and 
have  joined  with  him  by  placing  their  money  in  his 
hands,  and  I  see  no  reason,  Alice,  why  I  should 
doubt  him." 

"This  may  be  true,  as  you  say,  Duncan,  for  I  have 
heard  little  of  the  business  and  know  scarcely  any 
thing  of  what  is  beyond  us.  But  you  are  tired,  my 
dear  husband,  with  the  long  effort  you  have  so  nobly 
sustained  to  keep  your  own  home  and  resist  the  tres 
passes  of  the  lawless  men  who  press  us  on  all  sides. 
Lad,"  and  she  turned  to  him  gently  and  placed  her 
hand  on  his  shoulders,  "it  would  please  me  best,  as  I 
think  it  would  be  better  by  far  for  you,  if  you  should 
sell  the  Cameron  farm  and  have  done  with  it  all." 

"I  cannot  do  it,  Alice,"  he  replied,  half-impatient- 
ly.  "I  have  passed  my  word  to  the  contrary  so  many 
times  that  to  depart  from  the  position  I  have  taken 
would  look  like  cowardice  or  defeat.  Besides,  I 
have  agreed  with  Wheeler." 

"But  no  papers  have  been  drawn  and  signed." 

He  smiled  as  he  turned  to  her.  "A  Cameron's 
word  does  not  need  writings  and  bonds  to  enforce  it," 
he  replied.  "Eli  Wheeler  left  here  with  my  promise, 


Cfie 

and  when  he  returns  he  will  find  me  ready  to  keep 
it." 

"Forgive  me,  Duncan;  I  will  say  no  more,"  and 
she  took  both  his  hard,  calloused  hands  within  her 
own.  "It  is  my  love  for  you  and  my  anxiety  to  see 
you  happy  that  has  prompted  me  in  my  protests. 
And,  Duncan,  whatever  comes  of  it,  we  still  will 
have  each  other  and  Agnes." 

"Yes,  lass — and  the  memory  of  the  happy  years 
we  have  spent  here,  coupled  with  the  hope  that  more 
like  them  will  come — but  it  cannot  be  here  in  the  spot 
we  love." 

In  the  afternoon  Cameron  wrote  to  an  acquaint 
ance  a  few  miles  across  the  line  in  New  York  State 
and  offered  to  sell  his  horses  and  entire  herd  of  grade 
Durhams.  He  made  no  explanation  other  than  to  say 
that  conditions  were  such  that  he  found  it  difficult  to 
secure  farm  help  and  he  had  decided  to  go  out  of  the 
stock  business.  He  knew  if  his  correspondent  pur 
chased  his  animals  that  they  would  be  in  good  hands, 
and  therefore  he  was  disposed  to  make  the  price  rea 
sonable  if  the  sale  could  be  made  at  once.  He  went 
to  the  station  to  post  his  letter.  As  he  was  about  re 
turning  home  he  was  met  by  Sam  Edgert,  who  had 
taken  a  portion  of  the  money  he  got  for  his  farm  in 
the  Cameron  district  and  realized  the  dream  of  his 
life  by  investing  it  in  a  hotel  at  the  station.  Edgert 
proved  a  model  landlord.  He  had  the  most  preten 
tious  hotel  in  that  vicinity  and  was  so  proud  of  his 


74  Cfje 

accomplishment  that  he  tolerated  the  presence  of  only 
those  guests  who  conducted  themselves  with  decorum. 
The  result  was  that  the  Edgert  House  became  head 
quarters  for  the  capitalists,  land  speculators,  agents 
and  better  class  of  visitors  for  a  wide  section. 

"I'm  not  letting  my  women  folks  or  my  boys  make 
a  jack-rabbit  out  of  me,  like  Tubbs  is,"  he  was  wont 
to  say  to  some  of  his  old  acquaintances.  "The  oldest 
girl  and  both  boys  is  to  school  over  in  York  State, 
and  they  don't  get  only  board  and  twenty-five  cents  a 
week  for  spending  money.  And  I'm  going  to  keep 
'em  there.  The  two  youngest  girls  are  home  with 
their  mother  and  go  to  school  every  day,  just  the 
same's  if  their  dad  didn't  have  a  copper.  Mrs.  Ed 
gert,  she's  the  landlady,  and  if  I  do  say  it,  you  never 
see  a  woman  that  knows  what's  going  on  in  her  house 
better'n  she  does  in  this  one.  She  keeps  every  room 
in  it  as  spick  as  a  parlor,  and  the  man  who  don't 
wash  the  oil  and  black  off  his  hands  and  face,  and 
comb  his  hair,  don't  set  down  to  a  meal  in  her  dining- 
room." 

After  greetings  with  Cameron,  and  a  pressing  in 
vitation  to  come  in  and  take  supper — which  Duncan 
declined  on  the  plea  that  he  must  hurry  home  as  he 
was  now  both  proprietor  and  hired  man — Edgert,  who 
never  lost  an  opportunity  to  make  known  the  popular 
ity  of  his  hostelry,  said: 

"You  can't  guess  who  took  dinner  at  the  Edgert  to 
day,  Mr.  Cameron." 


C6e  Spotter.  75 

"!N"o  ?  Well,  suppose  as  a  guess  I  should  say  Presi 
dent  Lanphere  of  the  Cygnet  ?" 

"Thunder  I     Cameron ;  how  did  you  know  ?" 

"I  didn't  know,"  said  Cameron  with  a  laugh,  "but 
guessed  it.  The  reputation  of  the  Edgert  has  become 
so  wide  that  I  should  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  the 
head  of  the  great  oil  and  refinery  monopoly  came  here 
to  take  a  meal  and  decide  whether  your  hotel  was 
anything  he  needed  in  his  campaign  of  greed  and 
grab." 

Edgert  looked  at  him  in  open-mouthed  astonish 
ment.  "That's  just  what  he  did,  Cameron,  sure's  a 
gun.  He  came  in  on  the  9  :16,  walked  over  to  the  Ed 
gert  and  said  he  wanted  a  room,  and  when  he  regis 
tered  you  can  bet  I  give  him  the  best  we  had.  Then 
he  said  he  might  want  a  team  after  dinner  to  drive 
out  a  few  miles.  I  told  him  there  was  only  one  team 
in  and  it  might  be  let  any  minute.  'I  shall  expect  it 
to  be  ready  for  me,  Mr.  Edgert,'  he  said,  'if  I  want 
it.  You  may  charge  me  for  the  day.'  He's  such  a 
dum  keen,  sharp,  bossy-looking  chap,  that  I  nodded 
my  head  and  didn't  say  a  word.  Couldn't  see  into 
him  half  an  inch,  even  when  his  mouth  was  open. 
Well,  he  stayed  in  his  room  most  of  the  time,  writ 
ing;  but  finally  he  came  down  and  sat  in  the  bar 
room,  and  when  he  got  a  chance,  he  asked  a  lot  of 
questions  about  you." 

"About  me,  Edgert  ?  What  did  Lanphere  want  to 
know  about  me?" 


V6 

"Better  ask  what  he  didn't  want  to  know,"  replied 
the  hotel-keeper.  "He  didn't  get  much  out  of  me, 
though.  I  said  you  was  a  square-toed,  opinionated 
Scotchman,  and  had  notions  of  right  and  wrong  and 
took  after  the  right  every  time.  Along  about  noon 
another  man  that  came  in  on  the  same  train  and 
hired  a  team  to  go  out  and  look  at  some  wells  on  my 
old  place,  drove  back  and  asked  what  time  the  first 
train  left.  When  he  went  in  to  dinner,  Lanphere 
stepped  up  and  said  he  had  changed  his  mind  and  I 
could  leave  the  horses  in  the  stable.  But  he  paid  me 
for  them  when  he  settled  his  bill." 

"Describe  the  other  man,  Edgert.  Possibly  I  know 
him,"  said  Cameron. 

"An  ornery,  sneaking,  missionary-looking  cuss, 
with  mutton-leg  whiskers  that  he  keeps  fishing  around 
in  all  the  time  with  his  fingers.  His  eyes,  too,  mov 
ing  as  though  he  expected  someone  to  jump  out  at 
him  from  the  floor,  ceiling,  or  wall,  but  when  he  talks 
it  sounds  jest  like  he  was  preachin'." 

"Did  he  register  at  the  hotel  ?" 

"No;  when  he  went  out  he  was  in  a  hurry,  and 
when  he  come  back  I  guess  he  forgot  it." 

"Did  Lanphere  appear  to  know  him  ?" 

"Never  looked  his  way,  Cameron ;  but  I  thought  it 
odd  that  Lanphere  made  up  his  mind  that  he  wouldn't 
use  the  team  about  as  soon  as  he  heard  the  other  fel 
low  inquire  what  time  the  train  left." 

"Possibly    only    a   coincidence,"    said    Cameron, 


Cfje  ^potter,  n 

though  the  thought  came  to  him  that  President  Lan- 
phere  may  have  been  shadowing  Eli  Wheeler  and  that 
.Wheeler's  plans  to  add  the  Cameron  farm  to  the  great 
opposition  forces  against  the  Cygnet  might  be  fore 
stalled.  Not  a  suspicion  of  collusion  crossed  his  mind, 
nor  yet  did  the  faintest  echo  of  the  warning  he  had 
given  old  Tubbs  come  to  his  ears. 

"Oh,  I  forgot,"  said  Edgert,  after  they  had  said 
good-by.  "Harry  was  home  from  school  yesterday 
and  went  back  this  afternoon,  on  the  same  train  with 
Lanphere." 

"Harry !  I  should  have  been  pleased  to  see  him," 
said  Cameron.  "Is  he  well  ?" 

"Like  a  racer,  and  takin'  hold  of  his  books  as 
steady  as  a  professor.  He's  twenty-one  next  month, 
an'  he's  got  more  sense  than  his  pap,  who's  over 
fifty." 

Cameron  laughed. 

"He  inquired  all  about  you,"  continued  Edgert, 
"and  was  particular  to  be  remembered  to  Miss 
Agnes." 

"Thank  you;  it  will  please  her  to  have  a  message 
from  an  old  school-fellow.  What  are  you  going  to 
make  out  of  him  ?" 

"I  ain't  going  to  make  anything  out  of  him,"  re 
plied  the  elder  man.  "He's  going  to  make  his  own 
way,  and  you  gave  him  the  start  when  you  got  him 
to  come  to  your  house  to  evening  classes  and  lent 
him  books.  In  the  two  years  since  I  sold  the  farm, 


V8  Cl)e 

Harry's  trotted  square  up  the  course,  and  nobody 
can  hold  him  back.  I  have  my  doubts  about  some  of 
the  others,  'cause  they  ain't  got  the  gait,  but  Harry's 
going  to  cross  the  tape  a  winner." 

"Success  to  him !"  said  Cameron,  and  with  another 
good-by  he  drove  away  thinking  that  possibly  he  had 
been  wrong  in  holding  that  the  coming  of  sudden 
wealth  was  a  curse  to  all  those  who  were  its  recip 
ients. 


Spotter. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  TOTAL  SURRENDER. 

THE  second  day  afterward,  Cameron  sold  his  stock 
to  the  dealer  to  whom  he  had  written,  and  who  came 
immediately  on  receipt  of  the  letter.  It  was  a  grand 
herd  of  beautiful  creatures,  and  they  were  started 
away  in  a  drove  just  at  break  of  light  on  the  day 
Wheeler  had  named  for  his  return.  Cameron  could 
not  look  upon  their  departure.  iLe  slept  little  during 
the  night,  and  before  daylight  arose  and  hurried 
through  the  orchard  and  buried  himself  in  the  wood 
lot.  He  did  not  return  until  long  after  he  knew  the 
men  had  gone  with  his  pets,  and  he  went  into  the 
house  without  casting  a  glance  at  the  pasture  or  the 
lane.  He  insisted  also  upon  the  sale  of  his  horses,  ex 
acting  a  promise  that  the  team  should  not  be  resold  to 
anyone  who  would  return  it  to  the  oil-country.  The 
price  was  made  by  the  purchaser,  for  Cameron  said 
he  could  not  ascribe  a  value  to  his  dumb  friends. 

That  Mrs.  Cameron  and  Alice  had  been  crying, 
was  evident  to  him  when  he  came  to  the  house,  though 
they  choked  back  their  tears  in  the  attempt  to  appear 


80  Cfte 

cheerful.  The  family  devotions  which  Duncan  in 
variably  conducted  were  saddened  with  the  thought 
that  they  had  turned  from  their  shelter  and  care  the 
creatures  that  had  served  them  so  faithfully.  Of  all, 
only  the  collie  was  left,  and  he  pushed  his  way  into 
the  half-open  door  and  looked  up  into  his  master's 
face  and  whined  pitifully. 

"No,  Don,  old  fellow,  we'll  keep  you,"  sobbed 
lAgnes  as  she  threw  her  arm  around  the  collie's  neck 
and  buried  her  face  in  his  shaggy  coat. 

~No  one  tasted  the  breakfast,  and  they  spoke  only 
of  the  most  commonplace  things — the  prospect  of 
rain,  the  coming  of  new  rosebuds,  the  twittering  of 
swallows  in  the  chimney.  After  a  time  Cameron  went 
to  his  bookcase,  on  the  shelf  of  which  he  had  told  the 
purchaser  to  leave  the  check  for  his  stock  in  such 
amount  as  he  could  afford  to  give.  He  picked  up  the 
slip  of  paper  and  read  the  figures — five  thousand, 
seven  hundred  dollars.  Surely  the  man  had  dealt 
honorably,  but  Cameron  would  have  torn  the  paper  to 
bits  and  given  another  in  its  place  for  an  equal 
amount  if  he  could  have  gone  to  the  door  and  looked 
upon  the  sight  which  gladdened  his  heart  that  day 
when  Mrs.  Fisher  endeavored  to  persuade  him  to 
lease  or  sell  his  farm.  He  felt  that  he  was  loosing 
his  moorings,  and  feared  that  if  he  should  go  out  of 
the  house  and  look  about  his  premises  again  he  would 
not  have  strength  to  resist  a  desire,  that  was  now  al 
most  in  complete  control,  to  say  to  Wheeler  when  he 


CJje  Spotter.  si 

should  come  that  he  had  reconsidered  his  agreement 
and  must  ask  to  be  released  from  his  promise.  So  he 
sat  among  his  books,  looking  vacantly  at  their  backs, 
and  not  realizing  the  titles,  which  he  read  over  and 
over  again. 

Toward  noon  Wheeler  came,  accompanied  by 
Judge  Purser,  a  middle-aged,  pompous,  loud-speak 
ing  man,  with  the  smell  of  liquor  in  his  breath.  Pur 
ser  was  one  of  those  creatures  who  win  preferment  in 
country  places  by  the  display  of  those  brazen  quali 
ties  of  bombast  that  often  are  mistaken  for  states 
manship.  He  could  talk  longer  and  say  less  upon 
a  given  subject  than  any  man  in  his  district,  but  his 
cheap  clap-trap  and  spread-eagle  speeches  passed  for 
oratory  among  voters,  and  so  he  won  place.  He  was 
shrewd  and  unprincipled,  greedy  for  wealth,  and 
covetous  to  a  marked  degree;  hence  he  never  hesi 
tated  to  secretly  lend  his  office  to  those  who  were  plan 
ning  for  the  overthrow  of  individual  liberty  of  men 
engaged  in  the  production  and  sale  of  oil.  Long  ago 
Lanphere  picked  him  out  for  just  such  purposes  as 
the  one  in  which  he  was  now  engaged,  but  as  the  ends 
aimed  at  could  best  be  secured  if  the  alliance  were 
kept  secret,  Purser  posed  as  a  friend  of  the  inde 
pendents,  and  with  trembling  voice  and  assumed  in 
dignation  he  discoursed  before  admiring  crowds  upon 
the  wickedness  that  was  being  practiced,  and  told  of 
the  "sharp  turn  on  the  thumbs"  he  would  give  the 


82  C&e 

monopolists  if  they  were  ever  brought  before  his 
bench. 

Wheeler  and  this  lawyer  were  ushered  into  the  sit 
ting-room  by  Mrs.  Cameron.  Wheeler  was  steady  of 
eye  now  and  his  hands  were  outstretched  in  friendly 
greeting.  If  possible  he  wore  an  air  of  deeper  respon 
sibility  and  of  graver  appreciation  of  all  that  rested 
upon  his  shoulders  than  on  the  occasion  of  his  pre 
vious  visit. 

"I  have  scarcely  slept  since  I  was  here,  Mr.  Cam 
eron,"  he  said,  after  he  had  presented  Purser,  "and  I 
have  been  on  the  move  constantly,  making  the  ar 
rangements  to  bring  our  enterprise  to  a  conclusion, 
so  far  as  the  preliminary  steps  are  concerned,  to-day. 
I  have  succeeded,  and  my  share  of  the  capital  stock 
is  in  bank,  as  I  will  show  you  by  certified  check  in 
due  time.  As  you  know,  it  has  been  necessary  to 
move  with  caution,  but  that  has  not  swerved  me  from 
pushing  ahead  so  that  there  may  be  no  failure  in  this 
grand  project  in  which  we  are  to  engage.  Judge 
Purser  came  yesterday  morning  and  at  once  set  to 
work  to  draw  all  the  necessary  papers.  He  did  not 
complete  his  work  until  nearly  daylight  this  morning, 
but,  thank  Heaven,  all  is  ready." 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Purser,  "when  I  received  the  tele 
gram  I  dropped  everything  and  started  at  once.  Sir, 
if  I  had  been  holding  a  term  of  court  I  would  have 
found  an  excuse  for  an  adjournment  that  I  might  an 
swer  this  summons.  High  as  are  the  several  duties 


Cfje  Spotter*  ss 

of  a  jurist,  I  consider,  sir,  that  there  are  calls  which 
will  sometimes  permit  of  a  laying  down  of  the  judi 
cial  ermine.  When  I  see  struggling  thousands  reach 
ing  out  their  hands  in  supplication  for  help  to  rid 
themselves  of  this  insatiable  monster  which  is  slowly 
but  surely  wrapping  its  folds  around  the  industrial 
prosperity  of  so  many  of  the  law-abiding  citizens  of 
this  great  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania;  when  I 
behold,  sir,  the  apathy  and  unconcern  with  which 
our  leaders  in  government  and  eminent  men  in  my 
own  profession  view  this  heart-rending  situation,  and, 
I  may  say,  metaphorically,  trun  their  eyes  from  the 
impending  avalanche  which  threatens  to  sweep  so 
many  fortunes  into  a  maelstrom  of  disorder — I  feel, 
sir,  that  it  is  my  first  and  greater  duty  to  come  to  the 
aid  of  every  heroic  struggler  who  is  endeavoring  to 
stem  the  threatening  waves  and  hold  back  the  damn 
ing  flood  that  endangers  the  very  existence  of  our 
ship  of  state." 

Had  Cameron  been  himself,  he  would  have  de 
tected  the  fraud  in  Purser  before  it  was  too  late,  for 
no  man  was  quicker  to  see  through  a  sham  than  Dun 
can  Cameron  ere  he  was  worn  to  the  verge  of  col 
lapse  by  the  months  spent  in  withstanding  the  on 
slaught  which  was  made  upon  him.  As  it  was,  he 
looked  at  the  speaker  with  mere  curiosity,  wondering 
why  those  strangely  mixed  metaphors  did  not  come 
clearly  to  his  mind. 


84 

"I  think  you  are  right,  sir,"  said  Cameron.    "In 
deed,  I  think  you  are  right." 

"Right?"  said  Purser,  with  rising  inflection,  "I 
know  I  am  right,  Mr.  Cameron,  and  I  know  that  Mr. 
Wheeler  is  right,  and  I  know  that  you  are  right.    IsTo 
man  in  all  this  broad  country  of  ours  has  a  higher 
appreciation  of  the  judicial  functions  than  rests  with 
in  my  breast.     It  was  born  with  me,  sir.      From  my 
earliest  childhood  I  have  looked  upon  the  courts  of 
our  land  as  exemplifying  to  the  fullest  extent  my 
ideal  of  all  that  was  great,  and  good,  and — I  say  it, 
sir,  with  the  deepest  reverence — holy.     I  have  never 
lost  sight  of  this  oasis  as  a  practicing  attorney,  and 
when  I  was  elevated  to  the  bench  it  became  my  con 
stant  guide-star,  my  invariable  precept.    'Judge  Pur 
ser',  I  say  when  a  proposition  is  presented  to  me, 
'think  well  upon  this.      Will   such  action  soil  the 
judicial  ermine;   will  it  bring  the  cold  breath  of 
calumny  against  the  bench;  is  it  a  carrying  out  by 
man  of  the  laws  of  the  All  Wise  ?'  Then  I  hold  the 
balance  there  before  me  and  watch  the  trembling  of 
the  points.    I  do  not  take  to  myself  any  virtues,  Mr. 
Cameron,  which  I  do  not  possess,  for  no  man  in  this 
Commonwealth  can  ever  say  that  Judge  Purser  ever 
knowingly  and  wilfully  committed  an  act  to  bring 
discredit  upon  the  honor  and  uprightness  of  the  court 
over  which  he  presides.     I  may  have  erred  in  judg 
ment,  Mr.  Cameron,  for  man  is  fallible,  but  at  all 


€&e 

times  I  have  striven  to  maintain  an  even  balance  of 
justice  to  all." 

While  he  was  talking,  Purser  took  from  his  pock 
ets  a  large  number  of  formidably-appearing  legal 
documents  which  had  been  prepared  for  the  occasion 
tinder  the  direction  of  Lanphere  and  Wheeler.  In 
this  preparation  Purser  took  little  part,  for  he  would 
not  have  been  equal  to  the  task.  He  was  brought  into 
the  case  merely  for  the  moral  effect  his  name  might 
have,  and  to  see  that  the  papers  were  properly  signd 
and  acknowledged. 

"Mr.  Wheeler,"  said  Purser,  "it  is  necessary  that 
we  have  two  witnesses.  Where  can  they  be  pro 
cured  ?" 

Wheeler  thought  he  could  find  some  men  at  the 
wells  further  on,  and  so  he  hastened  away  with  the 
wagon  for  that  purpose.  Scarcely  realizing  what  he 
heard,  for  his  thoughts  were  far  away  and  not  upon 
the  words  spoken  with  so  much  flourish  and  pom 
posity  by  Purser,  Cameron  listened  to  the  reading  of 
the  deed  which  conveyed  his  farm  to  the  Cameron 
Farm  Company.  The  articles  of  incorporation  were 
next  produced,  and  Purser  read  them  in  sonorous 
tones  that  filled  the  little  sitting-room  and  evidently 
gave  him  the  highest  satisfaction.  Occasionally  he 
paused  and  proceeded  to  explain  passages  in  the  legal 
phraesology,  which  he  feared  might  not  be  under 
stood,  but  his  vague  and  involved  dissertations  left  his 
listeners  more  completely  in  the  dark  than  they  had 


86  C&e  Spotter, 

been  before  he  commenced,  and  it  was  with  some  re 
lief  that  they  saw  him  turn  to  the  closely-written 
folios. 

In  time  it  was  over.  Alice  tremblingly  affixed  her 
name  below  that  of  her  husband's  on  the  deed,  the  ac 
knowledgments  to  the  documents  were  taken,  and 
two  rig-builders  whom  Wheeler  brought  scrawled 
their  names  as  witnesses.  Just  what  he  had  executed, 
Cameron  did  not  know,  but  when  the  papers  were 
folded  and  wrapped  with  tape  and  were  put  into 
Judge  Purser's  hands  to  be  recorded,  Duncan  Cam 
eron,  the  long-headed,  far-seeing,  cautious,  educated, 
but  unsuspecting  farmer,  who  had  been  so  ready 
with  his  advice  and  counsel  to  his  neighbors,  had  sur 
rendered  himself  to  the  power  of  Wheeler  and  was 
practically  penniless.  Among  the  papers  which  Judge 
Purser  shuffled  before  Cameron,  and  which  was  not 
read,  was  one  giving  Eli  Wheeler  power  of  attorney 
to  act  for  Duncan  Cameron  and  the  Cameron  Farm 
Company  in  all  its  affairs,  "freely  and  fully  without 
further  consent  or  authority  of  the  said  Duncan  Cam 
eron  or  of  the  several  stockholders  in  the  said  com 
pany,"  and  authorizing  "the  said  Eli  Wheeler  to  vote 
by  proxy  the  shares  in  the  said  company  now  held  and 
owned  by  the  aforesaid  Duncan  Cameron." 

But  Judge  Purser  was  a  man  of  established  honor, 
and  Eli  Wheeler  was  sacrificing  so  much  in  the  strug 
gle  against  oppression,  that  there  surely  was  no  rea 
son  to  suspect  them  of  fraud  or  of  wrong-doing.  They 


C&e  Spotter.  sr 

were  grave,  serious  men  in  appearance,  and  were  so 
solicitious  that  every  point  should  be  covered  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  Cameron,  that  no  hint  of  their 
villainous  game  came  to  those  with  whom  they  dealt. 

The  documents  were  to  be  recorded  at  once,  and  on 
the  following  Monday  Cameron  was  to  meet  Wheeler 
and  Purser  at  Oleford,  and  the  remaining  steps 
would  be  taken  in  the  formation  of  the  com 
pany.  With  many  good-bys,  the  men  drove  away, 
and  Cameron  sank  into  his  chair  before  the  broad 
shelf  of  his  bookcase  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands. 
He  attempted  to  go  over  the  steps  he  had  taken  in 
this  new  enterprise,  one  by  one,  but  they  confused 
him  and  he  found  it  was  impossible.  After  a  time 
he  called  his  wife  and  daughter  to  him  and  they 
planned  what  they  would  do.  Several  weeks  might 
elapse  before  active  operations  would  be  commenced 
upon  the  farm  and  it  was  decided  that  in  the  mean 
time  Alice  and  Agnes  should  be  installed  in  a  modest 
way  in  a  hired  house  in  one  of  the  distant  towns. 
Duncan,  who  was  to  become  the  resident  manager  of 
the  company,  would  not  hear  of  their  expressed  desire 
to  remain  with  him  in  the  old  home. 

"It  will  not  do,  my  dears,"  he  said.  "The  house 
will  be  turned  into  an  office  and  general  headquarters 
for  all  the  business.  A  large  addition  is  to  be  built  to 
the  barn  and  that  will  become  the  refinery.  In  three 
months  the  rigs  will  cover  our  meadow  and  orchard, 
and  all  this  babel  of  confusion  which  now  surrounds 


88  Cfte  Spotter. 

us  at  a  distance  will  be  renewed  and  added  to  with 
this  as  its  center.  I  have  kept  you  here  too  long,  out 
of  my  selfish  love  for  the  home  we  have  built  up,  and 
now  you  must  go." 

"Do  not  say  that,  Duncan,"  said  Mrs.  Cameron. 
"Since  the  death  of  my  mother  I  have  never  seen  a 
sadder  day  than  this  upon  which  we  have  decided  to 
take  this  step.  There  has  been  no  moment  in  which 
we  have  desired  to  exchange  our  home  for  the  town. 
Is  it  not  so,  Agnes  ?" 

"Yes,  mother,"  replied  the  girl  quickly.  "And  if 
we  must  go  now  I  hope  we  have  sense  enough  not 
to  attempt  to  break  into  society  after  the  manner  of 
Mrs.  Tubbs  and  Betsy." 

Cameron  smiled  over  the  recollections  of  what  he 
had  seen  and  what  he  had  since  learned  concerning 
the  adventures  Mrs.  Tubbs  was  encountering  in  her 
efforts  to  dazzle  Bradan. 

"No,  little  girl,  there  is  no  fear  of  that,"  he  said, 
as  he  kissed  her,  and  some  of  his  old  light-hearted- 
ness  came  back  to  his  face.  "You  shall  live  in 
Bradan,  where  you  will  have  opportunity  to  continue 
your  studies  and  improve  your  musical  knowledge. 
I  have  no  thought  that  your  old  schoolmate,  Betsy — 
or  Elizabeth,  as  you  know  she  is  now  called — will 
ever  recognize  your  presence  in  that  place,  and  it  is 
just  as  well  if  she  doesn't.  Indeed,  if  I  find  that  you 
are  accepting  her  as  a  pattern,  I  shall  be  tempted  to 


C&e  Spotter*  89 

bring  you  back  and  put  you  in  as  mistress  of  the 
boarding-house." 

"And  what  of  Coon,  father  ?  Don't  you  remember 
how  he  used  to  haul  me  around  on  his  sled  and  call 
me  his  girl  ?" 

"He  is  now  a  poor  scapegrace,  Agnes,  and  your 
mother  will  have  a  care  that  he  doesn't  annoy  you." 

"There  now,  daddy,  don't  you  worry  about  Coon 
Tubbs  giving  me  any  annoyance,"  said  Agnes  with  a 
laugh.  "You  know  I  never  could  tolerate  him  as  a 
schoolfellow,  even  if  he  did  draw  me  in  his  hand- 
sled." 

"Ah,  yes,  that  is  so,"  said  Duncan  with  a  twinkle. 
"It  was  Harry  Edgert  who  was  the  favorite,  wasn't 
it?" 

Agnes,  blushing,  returned  his  jest  with  a  declara 
tion  that  she  had  no  favorite  but  her  cross  old  father ; 
and  so;  laughing  and  talking  about  pleasanter  things, 
they  began  to  look  for  the  brighter  side  of  the  change 
that  had  come  into  their  lives. 


oo  C{)e  Spotter, 


CHAPTEE  X. 

ME.  TUBES  DECIDES  TO  INVEST. 

MRS.  CAMERON  and  Agnes  were  installed  in  a 
pleasant  little  house  in  Bradan.  As  anticipated,  they 
did  not  receive  visits  from  either  Mrs.  Tubbs  or  her 
daughter,  but  Mr.  Tubbs  came  almost  every  day  to 
their  home  and  remained  for  hours. 

"You  needn't  to  mind 'me  at  all,"  he  said  to  Mrs. 
Cameron  one  day  soon  after  their  removal  to  the 
town.  "If  you  will  only  let  me  come  in  an'  set  down 
quietly  by  myself,  I'll  be  happy.  It  does  my  heart 
good  to  see  you  at  your  work,  Mis  Cameron,  an'  to 
hear  Agnes  practicing  at  her  music  an'  singing,  an'  to 
see  that  you  don't  try  to  set  the  fashions,  or  to  follow 
what  someone  else  sets.  It  must  be  mighty  wearin' 
on  a  person  to  be  all  the  time  lookin'  out  to  see  that 
nobody  gits  ahead  with  some  newf angle  or  other.  I 
tried  to  tell  Mis  Tubbs  one  day  that  she  was  work 
ing  harder  since  we  had  money  an'  she  had  a  dozen 
dresses  than  she  did  when  she  done  all  her  own 
housework  an'  helped  me  about  the  farm ;  but  she  got 


C6e  Spotter,  91 

histericky  in  a  minnit,  an'  Betsy  said  I  was  cruel  to 
bring  up  ma's  past  life  in  that  way,  an'  so  I  quit." 

They  told  him  to  come  when  he  liked  and  to  re 
main  as  long  as  he  wished,  and  he  took  them  at  their 
word.  Very  often  Mr.  Tubbs  made  his  way  to  a  lit 
tle  porch  which  looked  out  upon  a  small  backyard 
which  he  insisted  upon  caring  for,  and  with  Don,  the 
collie,  at  his  feet,  Tubbs  would  smoke  his  pipe  and 
talk  to  the  dog  for  hours. 

"These  are  about  the  happiest  times  me  and  you 
have,  Don,"  they  heard  him  say  over  and  over  again. 
"Of  course,  we'd  like  to  be  out  fishin',  and  mebby 
huntin',  once  in  a  while,  but  we'll  come  to  that  bime- 
by  if  we  don't  get  too  old.  Me  and  you  are  just 
natchually  cut  out  for  country-fellers,  ain't  we  ?  You 
don't  like  town  cats,  and  fences,  and  boys  that  plug 
stones  at  ye ;  and  I  don't  like  style  and  bums.  Queer 
about  dogs,  ain't  it  ?  They  don't  care  a  dum  for  style 
—just  as  leaves  go  around  with  a  man  what  has  got 
on  baggy  pants  and  an  old  coat,  and  who  don't  know 
the  feeling  of  a  biled  shirt  and  collar,  as  to  follow  a 
struck-oil  man  who  is  prinked  up  in  a  seventy-dol 
lar  suit  and  a  plug  hat." 

Sometimes  Mr.  Tubbs  would  take  Don  on  a  chain 
and  they  would  go  out  through  back  streets  and  lanes 
into  the  fields,  and  there  wander  about  till  nearly 
dark,  coming  home  at  last  all  dusty,  covered  with 
burs  and  very  tired,  but  both  happy.  And  when  the 
old  man  brought  Don  to  the  little  yard,  and  with 


^potter* 

many  a  caress  bade  the  dog  good-night,  he  turned  to 
ward  his  home  without  a  smile,  and  with  a  heavy 
burden  on  his  heart. 

"What  did  you  tell  me  was  the  name  of  Mr.  Cam 
eron's  pardner  ?"  he  asked  of  Mrs.  Cameron  one  day. 

"Eli  Wheeler,  the  independent  refiner,"  she  re 
plied. 

Mr.  Tubbs  started  quickly.  "I  don't  believe  I 
ever  heard  that  Wheeler  was  his  pardner,"  he  said. 
"Mebby  you  didn't  tell  me  after  all.  If  you  did  I 
should  have  remembered  it." 

"Do  you  know  Mr.  Wheeler?"  asked  Mrs.  Cam 
eron. 

"Can't  say  as  I  do  exactly,"  he  replied.  "I've  seen 
him  and  heard  a  lot  about  him.  Wheeler's  a  mighty 
smart  one,  and  I've  been  watching  his  operations.  I 
ain't  a  business  man,  Mis  Cameron,  as  you  know, 
and  I've  got  to  find  some  man  to  invest  for  me  what 
money  I've  got  left,  where  it'll  be  making  more 
money.  The  Tubbs  family  can't  live  always  on  what 
we  got  for  the  farm.  From  what  I've  seen  and  heard, 
I  guess  that  Wheeler's  about  the  slickest  timber  in 
this  woods,  short  of  Lanphere  himself." 

"He  comes  to  Bradan  frequently  on  business,"  said 
'Alice.  "Why  don't  you  try  to  meet  him  ?" 

"Does  he  ever  come  to  the  house  here  ?"  he  asked. 

"No,  he  has  not  called  upon  us  since  Duncan  was 
here,  about  a  fortnight  ago.  I  suppose  he  is  very 
busy,  and  as  I  know  nothing  of  the  affairs  of  the 


93 

company  there  is  no  occasion  for  him  to  call.  He 
spends  most  of  his  time  in  the  lower  field,  Duncan 
writes,  where  he  is  much  occupied,  and  he  only 
passes  through  here  on  his  way  back  and  forth  from 
the  farm.  He  has  been  purchasing  the  machinery 
for  the  refinery,  and  they  expect  it  to  reach  the  farm 
in  a  couple  of  weeks." 

Mr.  Tubb's  little  eyes  squinted  until  they  nearly 
closed,  for  while  he  was  hearing  things  that  opened 
his  understanding  he  did  not  permit  that  knowledge 
to  betray  itself  in  his  face.  He  happened  to  know 
that  Wheeler  had  been  in  Bradan  most  of  the  time 
for  the  past  three  weeks,  and  that  he  had  spent  a  good 
share  of  each  day  and  night  in  paying  court  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Tubbs. 

"I  don't  want  to  pry  into  no  secrets,  Mis  Cam 
eron,"  said  the  old  man  after  a  time,  "but  if  you 
will  answer  a  question  it  may  help  me  to  decide 
about  investing  with  Wheeler." 

"Certainly,  Mr.  Tubbs,  I  will  answer  if  possible. 
I  know  you  too  well  to  attribute  to  idle  curiosity  any 
interest  you  may  show." 

"No,  it  ain't  because  I'm  curious,  or  because  I 
want  something  to  gossip  about,  but  just  because  it's 
important  for  me  to  know.  It  is  this — did  Mr.  Cam 
eron  invest  all  his  pile  with  Wheeler  ?" 

"Yes,  Mr.  Tubbs,  everything  he  possessed,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  hundred  dollars,  which  have  been 
placed  in  the  bank  in  my  name,  and  upon  which  I  am 


94  c&e  Spotter, 

to  draw  to  pay  the  ordinary  bills  until  Duncan  shall 
receive  a  regular  salary  from  the  company  which  they 
have  formed." 

"Who's  the  company  ?" 

"Mr.  Wheeler,  who  holds  half  the  stock  and  is  its 
president,  Judge  Purser,  who  holds  a  thousand  dol 
lars  and  is  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  Duncan,  who 
holds  the  balance  of  the  stock  and  is  the  resident 
manager  at  the  farm.  No  money  is  to  be  drawn  for 
salaries  until  the  machinery  is  delivered  and  ready 
for  installation,  or  the  actual  drilling  of  wells  has 
commenced." 

"Thank  you,  Mis  Cameron.  You  and  Cameron 
have  been  my  friends  ever  since  I've  known  you," 
said  Mr.  Tubbs,  rising  to  depart.  "I  won't  make  his 
affairs  public,  and  what  you  have  told  me  will  be  my 
secret.  I'm  more  convinced  than  ever  that  Wheeler's 
got  a  great  head  for  business." 

On  his  way  home  Mr.  Tubbs  stopped  in  the  little 
park  and  rested  upon  one  of  the  benches.  He  ap 
peared  to  be  wholly  absorbed  in  thought,  and  did  not 
see  Wheeler  and  Betsy  strolling  along  one  of  the 
paths  on  the  opposite  side.  The  loud  and  unpleasant 
laugh  of  the  girl  drew  his  attention,  and  he  looked  at 
them  a  minute,  his  eyes  narrowing  with  the  peculiar 
squint  that  ever  came  when  he  was  weighing  some 
question  of  importance. 

"I'll  do  it/'  he  said,  half-aloud.  "Give  the  scamp 
rope  enough  and  he'll  be  sure  to  hang  himself." 


C&e  Spotter,  95 


And  when  those  toward  whom  he  looked  had 
strolled  upon  their  way,  Mr.  Tubbs  went  home  with 
the  determination  to  invest. 

Meantime,  on  the  Cameron  farm  the  days  were 
passing  slowly  enough.  Duncan,  with  the  assist 
ance  of  several  workmen,  was  engaged  in  changing 
the  barn  into  a  building  that  might  be  used 
for  a  refinery.  Wheeler  made  two  visits  to  the 
place,  and  once  he  wrote  asking  Duncan  to  meet 
him  at  the  Junction,  where  they  discussed  plans 
and  prospects  during  the  two  or  three  hours  be 
tween  trains.  His  report  was  that  the  retorts 
and  other  apparatus  had  been  ordered,  and  though 
some  delay  might  be  experienced  in  the  delivery 
on  account  of  previous  orders,  he  expected  the 
arrival  of  the  machinery  soon  —  very  soon.  Then  ex 
perts  would  come  on  from  the  refining  districts  of 
the  west  and  the  work  would  be  hastened  to  the 
utmost.  He  exhibited  specifications  for  the  lumber 
for  four  complete  derricks  and  the  drilling  machinery 
for  four  wells,  all  of  which,  he  declared,  was  to  come 
forward  as  early  as  the  firms  could  reach  the  orders. 
On  the  occasion  of  each  visit  he  renewed  his  stories 
about  the  progress  of  the  independent  refineries  he 
had  secured.  They  were  having  some  difficulty  in 
procuring  oil  to  keep  them  going,  he  said,  as  the 
Cygnet  Company  was  blocking  them  at  every  turn  of 
the  road  ;  but  his  properties  were  gaining  friends  and 
even  now  had  reached  a  point  where  they  were  pay- 


96  Ciie  Spotter, 

ing  expenses.  He  was  driven  almost  to  distraction  by 
the  details  of  a  business  that  had  to  fight  its  way 
against  such  heavy  odds  and  such  active  opposition. 
!New  problems  were  constantly  arising  and  must  be 
met  on  the  instant,  or  the  ground  gained  would  be 
lost 

"In  fact,"  declared  Wheeler,  when  taking  leave  of 
Cameron  at  the  Junction,  "I  would  simply  have  to 
give  up  were  it  not  for  the  help  which  Judge  Purser 
gives  me.  He  has  thrown  himself  into  this  work 
with  a  singleness  of  purpose  and  a  self-sacrifice  that 
amounts  almost  to  heroism.  If  we  can  hold  our  own 
against  the  enemy  another  month,  we  will  have 
reached  a  point  where  we  shall  have  more  reinforce 
ments  than  we  can  well  accommodate,  and  then  all 
our  energies  may  be  centered  here,  from  which  spot 
the  final  victorious  charge  shall  be  made." 

Papers  containing  marked  articles  reached  Cam 
eron,  and  in  these  he  read  glowing  accounts  of  the 
prospects  for  the  independent  refiners.  In  all  par 
ticulars  they  confirmed  what  Wheeler  said,  and  on 
the  surface  there  was  no  cause  for  suspicion. 

Soon  after  the  transfer,  Cameron  visited  each  of 
the  independent  producers  in  that  vicinity  and  gave 
to  them  some  idea  of  the  plan  of  the  Cameron  Farm 
Company,  at  the  same  time  urging  them  to  hold  out 
against  the  demands  of  the  Cygnet  as  long  as  possi 
ble.  His  disclosure  was  greeted  with  considerable 
enthusiasm  and  he  received  encouragement  from  all. 


Cfje  Spotter,  97 

But  as  the  weeks  passed  and  these  men  did  not  see 
evidences  of  an  early  realization  of  the  promises,  they 
began  to  doubt.  Among  them  was  George  Knox,  and 
one  afternoon  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Cameron  farm 
for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  what  had  been  done. 
Duncan  went  over  the  situation  with  Mr.  Knox,  as  it 
had  been  told  him  by  Wheeler,  and  renewed  his  plea 
that  Knox  hold  out  "just  a  few  more  weeks." 

"To  tell  you  the  truth,  Cameron,"  was  the  reply, 
"I  can't  do  it.  The  oil  from  my  wells  is  running  to 
waste  and  I  can't  shut  them  down.  Unless  they  are 
pumped  the  salt  water  will  drown  them  out.  I've 
waited  just  as  long  as  I  can,  and  if  I  don't  turn  my 
oil  into  the  Cygnet's  lines  and  take  their  tankage,  I 
must  go  to  the  wall." 

"We  are  making  every  endeavor  to  get  iron  for 
tankage,  pipe  for  our  lines,  and  the  apparatus  for 
our  refinery.  It  was  ordered  weeks  ago,  and  is  ex 
pected  daily.  The  companies  are  so  behind  in  fill 
ing  their  orders  that  we  have  been  outrageously  de 
layed." 

"Who  tells  you  they  are  ?"  asked  Knox. 

"Mr.  Wheeler,"  replied  Cameron.  "He  explained 
it  all  to  me  yesterday.  I  met  him  at  the  Junction 
and  had  a  long  talk  with  him." 

"Well,  then,  Wheeler  lies." 

"Mr.  Knox " 

"Yes,  Cameron,  he  lies,  and  I  can  prove  it  to  you," 
replied  Knox  with  considerable  heat.  "Here  is  a  let- 


98 


ter  which  I  received  this  morning  from  the  Oleford 
Oil  Well  Supply  Company.  Now  look  at  what  they 
write." 

Cameron  unfolded  the  sheet  and  read: 

"Replying  to  yours  of  yesterday,  we  beg  to  state 
that  we  can  deliver  iron  for  a  35,000-barrel  tank  at 
your  station  inside  of  ten  days.  As  there  is  little  ac 
tivity  in  tank  construction  just  now,  plenty  of  rivet 
ers  and  experts  in  tank  building  may  be  secured  here. 
We  have  a  full  line  of  piping  and  are  ready  to  fur 
nish  almost  any  quantity  you  may  want  in  car-load 
lots. 

"Hoping  to  receive  your  esteemed  orders,  and 
promising  prompt  attention,  we  remain,  etc." 

"There,"  said  Knox,  "doesn't  that  prove  that 
Wheeler  lies  ?" 

Duncan  made  no  reply.  He  was  as  one  who  had 
been  stunned  by  a  blow,  gazing  vacantly  upon  his 
visitor. 

"I  have  the  highest  regard  for  your  word,  Mr. 
Cameron,"  Knox  continued,  "but  for  the  last  week  or 
ten  days  I've  been  convinced  that  Wheeler  is  a  swin 
dler  of  the  worst  color.  He  has  been  playing  you  and 
a  good  many  others  a  deep  game,  and  I  am  afraid 
that  you  will  suffer  by  it  in  some  way.  I  hope  I  am 
wrong,  and  if  I  am,  I'll  do  the  square  thing  and  ask 
his  forgiveness,  and  yours;  and  I  won't  breathe  my 
suspicions  to  anybody  else  but  you,  until  I  get  more 
proof.  I  don't  want  to  do  your  company  any  harm, 


CJ)e  ^potter*  99 


if  it  is  coming  out  as  you  expect,  but  you  have  always 
acted  on  the  square,  and  I  couldn't  longer  hold 
back  what  I  have  found  out." 

"I  am  indebted  to  you,  Mr.  Knox,  for  your  in 
terest,"  said  Duncan,  slowly,  for  he  was  evolving  the 
matter  as  one  in  a  dream.  "I  can't  believe  that  there 
is  anything  wrong.  Mr.  Wheeler  can  explain  it  all. 
It  may  be  that  the  Cygnet  has  prevented  the  Supply 
Company  from  selling  to  what  promises  to  be  a 
rival." 

"Fiddlesticks  !"  snorted  Knox.  "The  Supply  Com 
pany  would  sell  to  you  as  quick  as  it  would  sell  to  me, 
and  quicker,  for  you  might  be  the  larger  customer. 
Mr.  Cameron,  why  don't  you  follow  Wheeler  up  and 
find  out  about  this?  It  may  be  more  important  to 
you  than  you  now  think." 

"I  would  go  to  him  and  ask  an  explanation  if  I 
knew  just  where  to  find  him.  He  left  either  for 
Cleveland  or  Pittsburg  last  night." 

"No,  he  didn't,"  said  Knox,  with  still  more  heat 
and  a  few  oaths.  "He  went  to  Bradan." 

"To  Bradan  ?  Why  he  told  me  that  he  had  an  im 
portant  meeting  to  attend  in  Oil  City  in  the  even 
ing,  and  that  he  was  then  going  either  to  Cleveland 
or  Pittsburg,  he  could  not  tell  which  until  he  received 
some  despatches." 

"Well,  he  lied  again." 

"But  how  do  you  know  that  he  went  to  Bradan, 
Mr.  Knox?" 


ioo  Cfje 

"He's  to  marry  old  Jim  Tubbs's  daughter  some 
day  this  week." 

Duncan  reached  out  for  support  and  Knox  took 
him  by  the  arm. 

"Who  has  told  you  this,  Mr.  Knox?"  he  asked, 
feebly.  "How  do  you  know  this  ?" 

"The  girl's  brother,  Coon,  works  on  one  of  my 
wells.  He  was  run  out  of  Brad  an  by  the  police  for 
some  deviltry,  and  to  escape  arrest  he  came  over  here 
and  went  to  work.  He  got  a  letter  from  his  sister 
this  morning,  and  that  is  what  she  wrote." 

"Wheeler  to  marry  Betsy  Tubbs !  Mr.  Knox,  there 
must  be  some  mistake  about  this.  It  isn't  possi 
ble." 

"Why  isn't  it  possible,  Cameron  ?  This  man  is  an 
adventurer,  probably  a  swindler,  and  I  shouldn't  be 
surprised  if  he  skipped  the  country  before  he  is  forty- 
eight  hours  older.  The  girl  hinted  to  Coon  that  they 
were  going  away  on  a  long  trip.  He  didn't  tell  me  all 
she  wrote,  but  he  was  bragging  to  us  that  there  would 
be  a  big  sensation  in  the  oil-fields  before  the  week 
was  over." 

Cameron  looked  at  his  watch.  "There's  no  train  I 
can  catch  till  midnight." 

"No,  it's  too  late  to  get  the  six  o'clock  now,"  re 
plied  Knox.  "But  you  can  take  the  midnight  train, 
and  by  waiting  four  hours  at  Charlton  be  in  Bradan 
very  early  in  the  morning.  That  may  be  too  late, 
but  it  is  the  best  you  can  do  now." 


C&e  Spotter,  101 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Knox;  I  will  go.  Please  say 
nothing  of  this  to  anyone  until  I  return.  It  may 
come  out  right  after  all.  Mr.  Wheeler  surely  has  the 
privilege  of  marrying  if  he  chooses." 

"Cameron,  I  wish  I  had  your  capacity  for  faith. 
But,  as  I  haven't,  I  can't  help  thinking  that  Wheeler 
is  a  black-hearted  scoundrel." 

And  Duncan  Cameron  thought  so,  too.  When  he 
had  gone  into  the  old  house,  now  bare  and  dismantled 
of  its  furnishings  except  in  one  room  where  he  re 
tained  a  few  comforts,  he  dropped  heavily  into  a 
chair  and  gazed  helplessly  before  him  upon  a  blank 
wall.  He  knew  that  his  confidence  and  trust  had 
been  betrayed. 


102  Cfje 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  BUBBLE  BURSTS. 

WHEN  Cameron  alighted  from  the  train  at  Bradan 
in  the  morning,  a  half  dozen  newsboys  came  trooping 
up  the  platform  shouting  their  papers. 

"Great  excitement  in  the  oil  regions !"  they  called. 
"Independent  refineries  sold  to  the  Cygnet !" 

He  bought  a  paper  hurriedly,  as  did  every  passen 
ger  on  the  train,  but  he  did  not  have  the  courage  to 
open  it  there.  He  walked  quickly  across  the  street 
and  entered  the  bar-room  of  a  small  hotel.  There 
were  no  hangers-on  at  that  hour  and  he  took  a  seat 
at  one  of  the  tables  and  asked  the  bartender  to  bring 
him  a  glass  of  brandy.  When  he  had  swallowed  the 
liquor,  Cameron  slowly  unfolded  the  paper  and  read 
the  announcement.  The  article  said  that  a  rumor  cir 
culated  late  the  evening  before  was  to  the  effect  that 
President  Wheeler  of  the  several  companies  formed 
to  operate  independent  refineries  in  the  lower  oil 
country,  had  disposed  of  all  his  holdings  to  the  Cyg 
net  Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company.  Efforts 
had  been  made  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  the  rumor, 
but  all  that  could  be  learned  was  contained  in  a  spe- 


103 


cial  despatch  from  Oil  City,  which  said  that  there 
was  much  excitement  among  producers  in  that  field, 
and  it  was  generally  believed  there  that  the  rumor 
was  correct.  The  article  continued  : 

"It  is  known  that  President  Wheeler  retained  con 
trol  of  all  the  companies  formed,  and  in  each  instance 
he  held  the  power  of  attorney  which  authorized  him 
to  buy,  sell,  dispose  of  property  or  stock,  and  to  exer 
cise  all  the  functions  of  full  ownership.  He  had  ar 
gued  that  headway  against  the  Cygnet  Company, 
which  he  claimed  he  was  endeavoring  to  fight,  could 
only  be  made  by  prompt  action  and  adroit  manipula 
tion,  and  with  this  end  in  view  as  complete  power 
must  be  given  the  head  of  the  competing  companies 
as  that  possessed  by  President  Lanphere  of  the  Cyg 
net.  Thus  it  was  possible  for  him  to  make  the  ru 
mored  sale,  if  he  has  been  base  enough  to  do  so." 

Then  followed  another  heading,  which  Cameron 
read,  and  the  paragraphs  following  it,  with  brain  on 
fire: 

"WHEELEK  IN  BEAD  AN! 


"SAID  TO  HAVE  MARRIED  THE  DAUGHTER  OF  JAMES 
TUBES — MRS.  TUBES  WILL  NOT  TALK. 


"Wheeler  has  been  in  this  city  most  of  the  time  for 
the  past  several  weeks.     He    recently    formed    the 


104  C&e  Spotter, 

Cameron  Farm  Company,  securing  as  a  partner  the 
owner  of  the  farm,  Duncan  Cameron,  who  has  won 
the  reputation  for  being  the  most  obstinate  man  in 
Pennsylvania,  because  of  his  refusal  to  sell  or  lease 
his  tract,  which  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  Tuna- 
gwant  district.  Those  who  know  the  territory  say  that 
the  Cameron  farm  is  worth  a  cool  two  hundred  thou 
sand  dollars  and  an  eighth  royalty,  but  it  is  under 
stood  to  have  been  put  into  Wheeler's  company  at 
about  forty  thousand,  for  which  stock  in  the  company 
has  been  issued. 

"Late  last  night  it  was  learned  on  good  authority 
that  Wheeler  and  the  dashing  Miss  Elizabeth  Tubbs, 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Tubbs,  who  sold 
their  oil  property  and  came  here  some  two  years  ago, 
were  married  in  one  of  the  villages  just  over  the 
York  State  line  early  yesterday  morning.  They  left 
on  the  6  A.  M.  train,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Tubbs, 
who  returned  in  the  evening  alone.  A  reporter  vis 
ited  the  Tubbs  residence  and  finally  succeeded  in  get 
ting  an  audience  with  Mrs.  Tubbs,  who  appeared  at 
a  second  story  window.  She  refused  to  say  anything 
as  to  the  whereabouts  of  her  daughter  and  Wheeler, 
or  whether  they  have  been  married.  Mrs.  Tubbs  was 
very  bitter  in  her  denunciation  of  newspapers,  as 
they  have  told  the  particulars  of  several  disgraceful 
affairs  in  which  her  son  'Coon,'  who  left  town  sud 
denly  a  few  weeks  ago,  has  been  engaged. 

"Another  reporter  visited  the  residence  of  Mrs. 


C&e  Spotter*  105 

Duncan  Cameron,  who,  with  her  daughter,  removed 
here  on  the  sale  of  their  farm.  Mrs.  Cameron  said 
she  did  not  know  that  her  husband's  partner  had  been 
stopping  in  Bradan,  but  supposed  that  he  was  in  the 
lower  oil  country  most  of  the  time.  She  also  said 
that  she  had  not  seen  any  member  of  the  Tubbs  fam 
ily  except  Mr.  Tubbs,  who  called  at  her  home  yester 
day.  He  said  nothing,  however,  about  his  daughter. 
Mrs.  Cameron  was  greatly  distressed  when  she  was 
informed  of  the  rumors  concerning  Wheeler." 

"My  God !  must  poor  Alice  be  dragged  into  this !" 
exclaimed  Cameron,  burying  his  face  in  his  hands. 

"Bad  news,  sir?"  asked  the  bartender,  who  had 
been  watching  Cameron  with  some  curiosity  since  his 
entrance. 

Duncan  looked  up,  half-angry  over  the  question, 
but  seeing  from  the  man's  face  that  the  inquiry  had 
been  prompted  by  friendly  interest,  Cameron  merely 
nodded  his  head. 

"Wrong  side  of  the  market  ?" 

"No;  it  is  about  this  Wheeler  affair.  You  have 
read  the  rumors  in  the  paper  haven't  you  ?" 

"They  ain't  rumors,"  replied  the  man.  "Wheeler's 
fooled  the  whole  bunch — he's  beat  'em  to  a  standstill, 
coppered  all  the  cash  the  independents  put  in,  turned 
the  property  they  bought  for  him  over  to  the  Cygnet, 
touched  old  Tubbs  for  all  he's  worth,  tucked  the 
Tubbs  gal  under  his  wing,  and  skipped  the  country. 


106  Cfje  Spotter* 

That's  the  only  fool  thing  he  did — taking  that  gal 
along.  She's  a  flyer,  and  don't  you  lose  sight  of  it; 
but  how  she  fastened  as  smart  a  sailor  as  Wheeler 
takes  my  breath.  She'll  lead  him  a  quickstep  that'll 
shake  the  coin  out  of  his  purse  in  less  than  two  years, 
or  my  name  ain't  Sewell.  I've  seen  her  kind  before." 

"You  have  heard  more  of  this  than  the  paper  tells, 
have  you  not  ?" 

"Should  say  I  had,"  replied  the  man  with  the  air 
of  one  who  has  been  the  confidant  of  many.  "Half 
a  dozen  parties  in  here  last  night  that  knowed  all 
about  it.  It's  right,  jest  as  I  tell  you." 

"Where  has  Wheeler  gone  ?" 

"Oh,  he's  up  with  the  Kanucks  by  this  time,  and 
before  the  week's  out  he  will  be  on  the  briny  on  his 
way  across." 

"Did  he  marry  Miss  Tubbs  ?" 

"That  don't  make  any  difference  whether  he  did  or 
not.  Maybe  he  did,  and  maybe  he  didn't." 

"It  makes  a  difference  to  her  poor  old  father,"  re 
plied  Cameron  feelingly. 

"Huh,  he's  an  old  mooner,"  answered  the  bar 
keeper  with  disgust.  "Three  or  four  good  people  who 
didn't  want  to  see  him  skun  warned  him  against  put 
ting  his  money  in  Wheeler's  hands,  but  he  didn't 
mind  'em  a  jog.  Wheeler  put  up  a  bluff  that  there's 
a  big  oil-field  in  Canada  that  he'd  got  a  tip  on,  and  he 
made  old  Tubbs  believe  that  he  could  buy  up  a  whole 
county  and  hold  it  for  development  and  big  prices. 


C6e 

I  guess  the  old  woman  was  Wheeler's  right  bower, 
and  she  drove  the  old  man  into  it." 

"But  Mr.  Tubbs  has  his  place  here  yet,  has  he 
not?" 

"No ;  mortgaged  for  every  red  it  will  bring,  and  all 
turned  over  to  Wheeler  and  his  duster." 

Cameron  arose  and  started  toward  the  door. 

"Hope  you  didn't  lose  anything  by  him,  mister." 

"Well,  I  hope  not.  I  don't  know  yet,"  was  Dun 
can's  reply. 

"Oh,  you  know  all  right  if  you  was  in  with  him. 
Every  man  that  was  has  lost  all  that  he  was  in,  and 
that's  the  six  sides  of  the  block.  Except  Lanphere — 
he  didn't  lose.  He  furnished  at  least  half  the  brains 
for  the  deal.  If  the  devil  don't  drive  that  pair  tan 
dem  yet  then  he  don't  claim  all  his  own." 

Cameron  walked  straight  to  the  great,  glaring, 
architectural  monstrosity  that  was  known  as  "Mrs. 
Tubbs's  ideal,"  for  it  had  been  erected  under  her  di 
rection — a  vulgar,  obtrusive  house  that  seemed  to 
shout  at  you  all  the  time  you  had  it  in  sight,  telling 
you  over  and  over  that  its  owner  built  it  to  show  off 
his  abundance  of  money  and,  incidentally,  his  lack  of 
good  taste.  You  were  pained  with  its  garish,  bold, 
overdone  insolence,  and  yet,  from  the  moment  it  came 
into  view  until  you  had  it  well  behind  you,  it  was  im 
possible  to  turn  your  eyes  away.  This  was  taken  by 
Mrs.  Tubbs  as  an  evidence  of  admiration,  and  it  gave 
her  supreme  satisfaction  to  stand  in  one  of  the  win- 


108 


dows  and  contemplate  the  attention  which  her  resi 
dence  compelled  from  passers-by. 

It  was  but  a  few  minutes  after  seven  o'clock,  but 
Cameron's  business  was  urgent  and  he  did  not  intend 
to  delay  because  of  the  hour.  He  pulled  a  brass  door 
knob  that  was  as  large  as  an  orange,  and  in  a  moment 
was  gratified  to  see  the  door  opened  by  Mr.  Tubbs  in 
person. 

"Why,  bless  me,  Mr.  Cameron  !  how  you  surprised 
me,  and  I  was  thinkin'  about  ye  all  the  mornin',  too," 
exclaimed  the  old  man,  seizing  Duncan's  hand.  "Walk 
straight  in.  Susan  —  that  is,  Mis  Tubbs  —  ain't  up 
yet.  She  don'  usually  rise  till  ten  ;  that's  the  fashion 
able  hour,  you  know,"  and  Tubbs  chuckled  over  his 
joke.  "But  you  can  just  come  in  the  dinin'  room 
with  me  and  have  a  bowl  of  coffee  and  a  snack."  And 
the  old  man  drew  his  guest  through  the  hall  where 
Duncan,  had  he  been  in  a  mood  to  observe,  would 
have  noticed  that  all  the  glare  and  vulgarity  of  the 
place  were  not  on  the  outside. 

"I  cannot  wait,  Mr.  Tubbs,  for  I  must  go  to  Mrs. 
Cameron  and  Agnes  at  once.  I  came  to  inquire  as  to 
Wheeler.  Is  he  here  ?" 

The  old  man  turned  upon  the  inquirer  a  half-pity 
ing,  half  -amused  look.  "No,  Mr.  Cameron,  Wheeler 
ain't  here,  and  I  don't  more'n  suspicion  that  he  ever 
will  be  here  again." 

"But  he  has  been  here  ?" 

"Yes,  been  livin'  here,  off  and  on,  for  a  month." 


Cfje  Spotter,  109 

?'And  he  has  gone  away — with  your  daughter  ?" 

The  old  man  did  not  trust  himself  to  speak,  but 
nodded  his  reply. 

"They  were  married,  Mr.  Tubbs  ?" 

"Yes,  early  yesterday  mornin'.  That  was  the  one 
sensible  streak  Susan  had  'bout  it." 

"And  is  this  that  I  hear  true — that  he  has  sold  out 
the  independent  refineries  ?" 

"I  guess  it  must  be,  Mr.  Cameron.  He  wanted  the 
cash  to  invest  in  a  new  oil-field  in  Canada.  Wheeler 
didn't  tell  me  much  about  his  investments,  but  he  said 
that  he  had  some  securities  on  which  he  could  real 
ize,  and  I  guess  he  meant  the  independents."  And 
the  old  man  grinned  as  though  he  had  perpetrated 
another  joke. 

"ISTow,  Mr.  Tubbs,  pardon  me  as  an  old  neighbor. 
I  hear  that  you  entrusted  him  with  your  money  to 
invest.  May  I  ask  if  that  is  true  ?" 

"Why,  of  course  you  may,  Cameron.  Susan — 
that  is,  Mis  Tubbs — has  been  set  on  my  investing  as 
I  told  you  once.  Wheeler  told  her  that  he  had  a  sure 
thing  in  Canada,  and  as  he  was  goin'  to  be  our  son- 
in-law,  I  forked  over  the  whole  pile  and  took  his  note 

— every  blamed  cent,  except "  he  bent  close  to 

Cameron's  ear  and  whispered — "two  thousan'  as  is 
salted,  just  as  I  said  before." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Tubbs,  I  am  so  sorry.  I  fear  that 
Wheeler  is  not  honest  and  that  he  has  played  us  all 


no  Cfje  Spotter, 

false.  You  must  have  had  misgivings  about  him 
yourself." 

"Cameron,"  replied  the  old  man,  straightening  up, 
"I  follered  the  example  you  set  me." 

"Yes,  I  know.  I  set  the  example,  fool  that  I  was, 
and  probably  am  beggared  by  his  rascality,  and  by  my 
own  folly.  You  read  the  man — I  know  it,  Mr. 
Tubbs,  by  your  manner — and  have  beggared  yourself 
with  your  eyes  open.  I  do  not  know  why  you  have 
done  this,  or  why  you  have  let  your  daughter  marry 
him  and  go  away  in  this  manner,  unless  it  is  because 
you  have  been  unable  to  withstand  the  pressure 
against  you  in  your  own  home  and  have  tired  of  it  all. 
I  cannot  believe  that  you  have  followed  me  with  the 
idea  that  Wheeler  was  a  safe  man  to  trust." 

"No,  Mr.  Cameron.  I  have  looked  upon  him  as  a 
sneakin'  fraud  for  weeks.  But  I  didn't  know  until  a 
few  days  ago,  when  it  was  too  late  to  warn  or  save 
you,  that  he  was  your  pardner."  The  old  man  arose 
and  laid  his  hand  on  Cameron's  arm.  "They've  been 
drivin'  at  me  to  invest,  and  I've  stood  out  against  all 
the  swindlers  a  long  time  till  I  found  one  as  would  do 
the  job  with  a  high  hand,  then  I  gave  in.  There  ain't 

much  left,  except "  and  he  paused  a  moment  to 

give  his  words  an  impressiveness  that  he  felt  the  occa 
sion  required— r-"a  lot  of  furniture  that  nobody  else 
would  buy,  and  some  jewelry  and  clothes  nobody  else 
would  want." 


Cfje  Spotter*  an 


"But  Mrs.  Tubbs  —  does  she  believe  in  his  hon 
esty  ?"  Cameron  interrupted. 

"To  the  dot.  I  told  her  all  about  it  last  night  when 
she  came  back,  and  she  almost  eat  me  up  for  having 
suspicions.  I  feel  sorry  for  Susan,  though,"  said  the 
old  man  with  a  grimace  and  a  wink  toward  the  door. 
"When  she  strikes  true  sand  and  finds  her  well's  a 
duster,  she'll  have  a  tantrum  that  won't  be  pleasant 
to  see." 

"Surely,  Mr.  Tubbs,  you  cannot  believe  that  your 
daughter  has  known  of  Wheeler's  intentions  to  swin 
dle  her  aged  father  and  mother  out  of  their  property. 
I  cannot  think  that  Betsey  ever  could  harbor  such  in 
gratitude  in  her  heart." 

Mr.  Tubbs  bit  his  lips  and  trembled  pitifully, 
though  he  shook  his  head  manfully. 

"Mr.  Cameron,  when  we  lived  back  there  in  the 
holler,  Coon  was  an  innocent  little  feller,  wasn't  he  ? 
Trotted  about  with  his  daddy,  fishin',  huntin',  doin' 
little  chores  on  the  farm  —  whistlin',  singin'  and  play- 
in'  some  tunes  I  taught  him  on  the  fiddle  —  just  as 
happy  and  decent  a  little  chap  as  was  in  the  neigh 
borhood  2" 

"Yes,  Coon  was  all  of  that." 

"Well,  what  did  this  money  do  but  make  him  for 
get  all  his  boyhood  ways  and  change  him  into  a 
young  bummer  —  ashamed  of  his  old  dad,  with  never 
a  civil  word  out  of  his  head,  but  a  sneer  and  a  curse, 
and  fault-findin',  and  goin'  his  own  gait  until  the 


112  Cfje 

officers  chased  him  away  for  his  meanness.  And  Bet 
sey — she  want  a  bad  gal — helpin'  her  mother  with 
the  work  and  over  playin'  with  that  little  gal  of 
yours — till  the  money  come.  Then  she  changed, 
same  as  Coon  did,  Mr.  Cameron.  Cuss  the  stuff! 
Old  Jim  Tubbs  wishes  it  had  burnt  up  afore  he  got 
it!  Betsey  was  ashamed  of  her  old  dad  all  the  time 
after  it  come;  and  she  finally  got  ashamed  of  her 
marm.  Susan  couldn't  learn  the  new  ways,  and  Bet 
sey  could.  She  got  so  that  she  found  fault  with  her 
mother,  and  nagged,  and  scolded,  and  was  wimpy 
toward  her.  She  thought  she  was  rigged  out  to  daz 
zle  fashionable  circles,  and  her  marm  and  old  dad 
was  drags  that  was  holdin'  her  back.  She  has  been 
wantin'  to  cut  loose,  to  get  away,  to  be  where  she 
wouldn't  be  reminded  every  minit,  and  where  others 
wouldn't  know  that  her  dad  and  marm  was  simply 
clay. 

"I  wrote  Betsey  and  told  her  this,  and  put  the  let 
ter  down  in  her  trunk  where  she'll  find  it  some  day," 
continued  Tubbs,  turning  more  towards  the  door  and 
speaking  as  slowly  and  distinctly  as  his  choked  voice 
would  permit.  "And  I  told  her  that  her  husband  had 
got  all  that  we  had  in  the  world,  and  that  her  dad 
and  marm  will  have  to  work  for  the  little  that  it  will 
take  to  keep  them  as  they  used  to  live.  And  I  told 
her  that  Wheeler  not  only  had  all  of  Jim  Tubbs's 
money,  but  that  he  had  cleaned  Cameron  and  hun 
dreds  of  others  out  of  theirs.  I  told  her,  too,  that 


C&e  Spotter.  113 

pretty  soon  her  heart  would  begin  to  turn  to  the  old 
mother  and  father,  and  she  would  see  where  she'd 
did  wrong.  But  I  didn't  blame  her — Lord  bless  you, 
no,  Cameron !  I  told  her  that  we  wasn't  fitted  to  be 
rich  yet,  for  we  hadn't  learned  how  to  live.  And 
then  I  asked  her  to  go  to  work  and  try  and  learn  how, 
for  I  know  that  she  will  be  back  with  us,  and  I  told 
her  so.  'There'll  be  a  place,  Betsey/  I  wrote  her,  'for 
your  old  dad  has  some  ideas  how  to  make  a  way  in 
the  world.  That  cuss  of  a  Wheeler  will  treat  you 
like  a  slave,  but  when  you  can't  stand  it  no  longer, 
come  home  and  we  will  all  be  happy  once  more.' ' 

A  groan,  a  feeble  shaking  of  the  knob,  and  then  a 
heavy  body  pressing  down  against  the  door,  brought 
Cameron  to  his  feet.  He  stepped  forward  and  with 
considerable  difficulty  pushed  the  door  open  suffi 
ciently  to  allow  him  to  reach  the  hall. 

There,  pallid,  insensible,  and  looking,  O,  so  old 
and  worn  in  her  finery,  which  she  seemed  never  to 
leave  off,  crouching  down  upon  the  dazzling  carpet, 
lay  Mrs.  Tubbs. 


114 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MES.  WHEELEE  UNDEESTANDS. 

ME.  AND  MES.  ELI  WHEELEE  did  not  prove  to  be 
congenial  travelling  companions.  Mrs.  Wheeler 
wished  to  linger  at  the  places  they  visited  until  she 
might  form  acquaintances  and,  perchance,  create  envy 
and  astonishment  over  the  richness  of  her  wardrobe 
and  the  magnificence  of  her  jewelry.  Mr.  Wheeler 
was  desirous  of  hurrying  forward,  of  attracting  little 
attention,  and  of  coming  finally  to  Paris,  where  he 
might  live  in  retirement  for  a  time  and  further  some 
schemes  for  the  extension  abroad  of  the  Cygnet  Oil 
Producing  and  Refining  Company,  which  was  just 
then  maturing  the  plan  of  embracing  other  countries. 
Wheeler  was  not  many  hours  upon  his  journey  before 
he  begun  to  fear  that  he  had  gone  a  step  too  far  in  his 
dealings  with  the  independents.  The  thought  that  he 
might  be  pursued  haunted  him,  and  though  he  feared 
little  from  a  legal  encounter  with  those  whom  he  had 
so  brazenly  defrauded,  he  was  mortally  afraid  that 
he  might  be  the  object  of  personal  attack  from  some 
one  of  his  many  victims. 


Cfje  Spotter*  us 

Upon  one  excuse  or  another  he  hurried  his  wife 
through  Canada,  sailed  from  Quebec  to  Ireland,  made 
a  flying  trip  to  a  few  of  the  Scotch  cities,  and  then 
hastened  to  London.  They  paused  scarcely  long 
enough  to  catch  more  than  a  fleeting  glimpse  of  the 
places  through  which  they  passed,  and  by  the  time 
they  reached  the  English  metropolis  Mrs.  Wheeler's 
complaints  had  become  tiresome  and  constant. 

Wheeler  secured  comfortable,  though  very  modest, 
lodgings,  and  when  their  luggage  had  been  brought  to 
the  rooms  he  told  his  wife  that  at  last  she  might  un 
pack  her  trunks  and  they  would  begin  to  enjoy  some 
thing  of  the  life  she  had  so  fondly  anticipated. 

"What!"  she  said  in  no  pleasant  tones,  "do  you 
think  of  remaining  in  this  dingy  and  out-of-the-way 
boarding  house  during  our  stay  in  London?  I 
thought  we  were  going  to  one  of  the  fashionable  ho 
tels  where  other  tourists  go,  and  where  we  would 
have  opportunity  to  mingle  with  people  of  wealth  and 
style." 

"But,  my  dear— 

"Oh,  I  am  tired  of  your  excuses  and  promises !" 
she  interrupted.  "There  has  been  nothing  else  but 
this  since  we  started,  and  it  is  time  for  something 
like  living.  Ain't  we  got  the  money  to  live  as  other 
folks  do?" 

"I  have  money  to  live  and  to  travel  as  I  choose," 
replied  Wheeler,  turning  upon  her  with  an  air  that 
betrayed  his  intention  to  throw  aside  his  policy  of 


116  c&e  Spotter. 

persuasion.  "There  are  reasons  why  I  do  not  care 
to  attract  especial  publicity  just  at  the  present,  and 
therefore  we  shall  live  very  quietly,  whether  we  re 
main  in  London  or  go  further." 

"Reasons  ?  Yes,  I  suppose  there  are — at  least  you 
have  said  so  times  enough  to  make  it  true.  But  I 
would  like  to  know  one  of  them." 

"Well,  you,  for  instance." 

"Me  ?" 

"Yes,  Betsey,  you.  See  here,"  and  he  took  her  by 
the  shoulder  and  turned  her  so  that  she  faced  him 
squarely.  "I  don't  know  what  fiend  in  hell  pos 
sessed  me  when  I  married  you,  for  I  could  have 
skinned  old  Jim  Tubbs  out  of  his  extra  pile  just  as 
easy  as  I  did  Cameron  and  the  others,  without  mar 
rying  his  daughter.  It  was  the  one  fool  move  in  the 
whole  play ;  but  it's  done,  and  I  am  going  to  make  the 
best  of  it.  As  long  as  you  behave  yourself  and  do 
just  as  I  want  you  to,  I'll  treat  you  white,  my  lady, 
and  you  won't  have  cause  to  complain.  But  as  soon 
as  you  go  getting  your  high  horses  out  with  an  idea 
that  you  can  take  Eli  Wheeler  a  race,  I'll  shake  you 
as  I  would  an  old  coat,  and  leave  you  to  shift  for 
yourself." 

He  spoke  slowly  and  without  raising  his  voice,  but 
every  word  went  to  the  woman's  heart  like  the  prick 
of  a  knife. 

"It  isn't  so  far  from  America  to  England  that  ugly 
stories  may  not  travel,"  he  continued,  "and  some  of 


C&e  Spotter*  nr 

the  recent  operations  in  the  oil  regions  must  be  pretty 
well  known  to  investors  on  this  side  of  the  ocean.  At 
all  events,  I  intend  to  keep  shady  for  a  few  months, 
and  I  shall  not  permit  a  silly  girl,  who  thinks  a  couple 
of  trunks  full  of  loud  dresses  will  help  her  break  into 
the  ranks  of  royalty,  dissuade  me  from  that  purpose. 
Do  you  understand  the  situation  now?" 

She  attempted  to  speak,  but  her  throat  filled  and 
she  could  only  incline  her  head. 

"We  may  stay  here  a  day  or  a  month ;  I  can't  tell 
until  I  get  the  letters  which  I  suppose  are  awaiting 
me.  While  we  stay,  we  will  not  force  ourselves  on 
society.  Wherever  we  go,  it  will  be  in  the  most  mod 
est  and  unobtrusive  manner.  Possibly  we  will  make 
a  few  excursions  about  the  city  to  see  the  sights, 
though  that  will  depend  upon  how  you  conduct  your 
self.  You  may  unpack  your  trunks  if  you  wish,  and 
look  your  finery  over  while  I  am  out  for  an  hour  to 
see  if  letters  have  arrived.  I  let  you  bring  it  along 
rather  against  my  inclinations,  knowing  that  it  would 
not  be  possible  for  you  to  use  it.  There  is  no  harm 
in  looking  it  over,  however,  but  it  is  not  for  your 
wear  at  present.  Until  such  time  as  there  is  no  longer 
necessity  for  caution  you  are  to  be  plain — very  plain ; 
travelling  with  your  husband  who  is  abroad  upon 
business." 

Wheeler  left  her  with  this,  and  she  stood,  like  one 
benumbed,  looking  at  the  door  through  which  he  had 
disappeared.  In  time  her  eyes  wandered  to  her 


118  €&e  Spotter, 

trunks,  and  she  recalled  the  day  she  had  selected  the 
larger  one  in  the  store  in  Bradan.  Then  she  stum 
bled  forward  and  sank  down  beside  it,  her  hands 
wandering  helplessly  over  the  straps  and  buckles,  but 
with  no  purpose  of  opening  the  cover. 

"Dad,  dear  old  dad!"  she  sobbed,  "I  know  now 
what  I've  done,  dad ;  but  I  didn't  know  it  till  to-day. 
I've  broken  your  old  heart,  dad,  for  youns  think  I 
knew  that  Wheeler  had  robbed  youns  when  I  left 
with  him.  But,  dad,  I  didn't  know  it.  I'm  not  as 
bad  as  that — honor  bright." 

She  became  hysterical  and  clung  to  the  straps  as 
though  they  might  save  her  from  sinking  beneath  the 
waters  that  seemed  to  be  rising  over  her.  The  glar 
ing  house  in  Bradan,  the  blotchy  patches  of  framed 
color  in  its  rooms,  the  incongruous  furnishings  and 
all  the  extravagant  surroundings  swept  before  her 
eyes.  The  efforts  of  her  mother  and  herself  to  as 
tound  and  awe  their  neighbors,  the  pride  they  had 
felt  in  Coon  when  he  became  sporty  and  made  himself 
a  place  in  the  fast  set,  and  the  contempt  and  shame 
they  experienced  over  her  father  because  he  would 
not,  or  could  not,  take  kindly  to  the  ways  of  the 
newly  rich,  came  upon  her  in  vivid  pictures.  Then 
the  old  home  in  the  Cameron  valley,  simple,  primi 
tive,  but,  O,  so  peaceful,  blotted  out  all  else  and 
awakened  fresh  outbursts  of  tears  and  sobs. 

In  time,  poor,  broken-hearted  Betsey  was  exhausted 
and  when  Wheeler  returned  after  an  absence  of  a 


Spotter*  119 

couple  of  hours,  he  found  her  sleeping  with  her  head 
pressed  against  the  side  of  the  trunk  and  her  face 
stained  with  traces  of  her  sorrow. 

"She  broke  down  easier  than  I  expected,"  he  said, 
without  arousing  her.  "It  is  always  so  with  a  woman 
who  has  no  training  back  of  her,  for  she  has  nothing 
to  rely  upon.  The  fact  that  she  has  had  her  own  way 
and  dominated  others  by  a  show  of  cheap  spunk  is  no 
help  when  a  display  of  true  courage  is  demanded. 
She'll  fall  in  all  right  in  time,  and  now  that  she 
knows  what  is  expected  of  her,  she  may  not  give 
much  trouble  in  the  future." 

Stepping  forward,  Wheeler  took  her  not  ungently 
by  the  shoulder. 

"It  isn't  a  good  place  to  sleep,"  he  said  as  Mrs. 
Wheeler  started  up,  dishevelled  and  trembling  from 
the  floor.  "There's  a  mark  across  your  cheek  where 
it  rested  on  the  edge  of  the  trunk  that  looks  as  though 
you  had  been  struck  a  blow  with  a  whip.  I  declare," 
looking  around,  "you  didn't  unpack  your  wardrobe 
after  all." 

"No,  I  didn't  care  to,"  Betsey  replied  with  some 
effort. 

"Well,  now  that's  lucky — very  lucky,  Mrs.  Wheel 
er,  as  you  would  have  had  the  work  for  nothing.  We 
are  going  to  Paris  in  the  morning." 

"To  Paris?" 

"Yes.  I  have  a  letter  from  Mr.  Lanphere  of  the 
Cygnet  asking  me  to  go  there  at  once  and  take  up 


120  Ci)e  Spotter. 

several  important  business  propositions  for  him,  the 
necessity  for  which  has  arisen  since  our  departure. 
I  really  don't  like  to  do  it,  as  I  have  been  looking 
forward  to  a  little  rest  after  some  years  of  hard 
work ;  but  Mr.  Lanphere  has  been  so  kind  in  taking 
some  rather  hazardous  speculations  off  my  hands  that 
I  feel  like  obliging  him.  I  shall  be  detained  there 
some  months,  possibly  a  year  or  two,  but  Paris  is 
now  a  safe  place  in  which  to  live,  and  of  course  you 
won't  mind,  Betsey." 

"No,"  she  replied,  with  a  calmness  that  surprised 
him.  "It  doesn't  matter  to  me.  Paris  or  London,  it 
is  all  the  same." 

"Now  that's  right,  Mrs.  Wheeler — that's  the  right 
way  to  look  at  the  situation,  and  if  you  do  not  get 
away  from  that  disposition  I  have  no  doubt  you  will 
be  quite  happy  and  contented." 

The  supper  that  was  brought  in  from  a  neighbor 
ing  confectioner's  was  eaten  almost  in  silence.  Wheel 
er  was  thinking  of  the  articles  he  had  read  in  the 
bundle  of  papers  which  he  had  received  under  the 
address  'of  Mr.  Cyrus  White,  and  which  were  deliv 
ered  to  him  by  the  solicitor  in  whose  care  they  had 
been  sent.  In  them  he  learned  that  Eli  Wheeler  had 
been  anathematized  by  almost  every  independent  in 
the  States  in  which  the  oil  industry  was  known,  and 
the  feeling  against  him  was  so  high  that  threats  of 
violence  were  spoken  with  a  boldness  that  smacked  of 
mob  rule.  In  a  half-dozen  oil  centers  he  had  been 


C&e  ^pottetu  121 


hanged  in  effigy,  and  in  one  place  a  man  who  some 
what  resembled  him  was  roughly  handled  and  barely 
escaped  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers  before  his  identity 
was  established.  He  read  also  that  Judge  Purser 
had  been  secretly  aided  to  leave  the  country  and  was 
supposed  to  be  in  the  West,  and  that  no  end  of  litiga 
tion  was  promised  by  those  who  were  so  shamefully 
swindled. 

But  it  was  Lanphere's  letter  that  gave  him  the 
chief  cause  for  unpleasant  reflection.  The  president 
of  the  Cygnet  wrote  in  a  gossipy  strain  to  Mr.  White, 
sperking  of  Wheeler  in  the  third  person,  and  declar 
ing  that  all  transactions  of  the  Cygnet  Company  had 
been  carried  on  in  entire  good  faith  and  with  the 
supposition  that  Wheeler  was  an  honest  man  who  had 
the  right  to  sell  the  properties.  This  Wheeler  under 
stood  as  a  precaution  taken  for  fear  that  the  letter 
might  fall  into  the  hands  of  someone  for  whose  eyes 
it  was  not  intended. 

"His  greatest  individual  victim,"  wrote  Lanphere, 
"appears  to  be  a  man  named  Cameron,  of  whom  you 
may  have  heard.  When  the  full  effect  of  the  deal 
with  Wheeler  struck  Cameron,  he  put  his  wife  and 
daughter  in  the  care  of  an  old  man  named  Tubbs, 
also  one  of  Wheeler's  dupes  in  more  ways  than  one, 
as  he  took  with  him  in  his  flight  a  daughter  of  Tubbs 
whose  only  qualification  was  a  pretty  face.  Tubbs 
and  his  wife  were  closed  out  and  barely  paid  their 
debts.  They  are  now  living  with  Cameron's  wife  and 


122  Cfje  Spotter* 

daughter,  who  may  have  a  few  hundreds  in  cash. 
Cameron  has  disappeared.  No  one  knows  where  or 
when  he  went.  One-half  the  community  believes  that 
he  has  wandered  away  in  a  fit  of  insanity;  the  other 
half  declares  that  he  is  on  Wheeler's  track." 

There  was  nothing  more,  except  in  relation  to  the 
business  that  Mr.  White  was  to  take  up  in  Paris. 

The  next  morning  when  Wheeler  was  packing  his 
portmanteau,  Lanphere's  letter  fell  from  the  pocket 
of  a  coat  and  lay  on  the  floor.  He  picked  it  up,  and 
stepping  to  his  wife's  side,  held  the  envelope  up  for 
her  to  read  the  address. 

"When  we  put  foot  upon  the  steamer  to  go  to 
France,"  he  said,  in  the  same  low,  intense  tone  he 
used  while  speaking  to  her  the  day  before,  "I  become 
Mr.  Cyrus  White,  agent  for  American  securities. 
The  name  of  Wheeler  is  never  to  be  used  between  us 
or  to  others  until  I  give  you  permission.  You  under 
stand,  do  you  ?" 

"Yes,  I  understand,  and  will  not  forget,"  she  said, 
quite  unconcernedly.  But  later  in  the  day  he  re 
called  that  when  she  said  it  there  was  a  peculiar 
gleam  in  his  wife's  eyes  which  he  had  never  noticed 
there  before. 


Ci)e  Spotter,  123 


CHAPTEK  XIII. 

CHANCE  MEETING  OF  OLD  FRIENDS. 

THE  first  few  months  of  the  stay  in  Paris  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Eli  Wheeler,  alias  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus 
White,  were  uneventful.  Apartments  were  selected 
with  the  end  in  view  of  living  very  quietly.  Wheeler 
was  not  entirely  unfamiliar  with  the  city,  for  at  a 
former  time  in  his  career  he  had  spent  something  over 
a  year  in  Paris,  and  the  knowledge  he  then  picked  up 
stood  him  well  in  hand  at  the  present.  After  a  few 
days  of  investigation  he  engaged  a  Frenchwoman  as 
Mrs.  Wheeler's  companion.  She  was  known  as  Jean- 
nette  LeGarde,  and  was  recommended  as  a  shrewd 
and  entirely  reliable  person.  He  believed  that  she 
was  the  right  one  to  exercise  a  certain  espionage  over 
his  wife,  which  he  thought  a  quite  necessary  precau 
tion. 

Jeannette  had  a  fairly  good  command  of  English 
and  a  complete  acquaintance  with  the  city.  She  was 
not  far  from  the  age  of  her  mistress,  a  bright  and  en 
gaging  little  woman  when  she  wished  to  exercise  her 
powers;  but  at  the  same  time  a  sharp,  hard,  deter- 


^potter, 

mined  body  when  carrying  out  the  directions  of  her 
master.  Each  morning  before  Wheeler  went  away  to 
business  he  wrote  the  names  of  the  streets  which  his 
wife  and  Jeannette  might  visit  during  the  day, 
should  Mrs.  Wheeler  be  disposed  to  go  out,  and  indi 
cated  the  hours  they  were  to  be  abroad.  Often  he 
came  upon  them  quite  unexpectedly  when  they  were 
upon  these  little  excursions,  and  Betsey  grew  to  ex 
pect  his  appearance  at  any  moment. 

Jeannette  was  commissioned  to  procure  for  her 
mistress  a  modest  wardrobe,  not  unlike  that  worn  by 
teachers  or  numbers  of  shop  girls  whom  they  met 
every  day.  All  the  tawdry  finery  which  Betsey  and 
her  mother  procured  with  such  lavish  hands  at  her 
own  home  was  taken  away  under  Wheeler's  direction 
and  disposed  of  by  Jeannette.  When  the  trunks 
were  looted  of  their  wealth  of  costly  silks,  wools  and 
laces,  Betsey  wept  over  each  piece  as  it  was  taken  out ; 
but  the  woman  who  was  her  keeper  looked  upon  the 
gowns  and  lingerie  with  no  attempt  to  conceal  her 
disgust.  Coarse  and  ill-bred  as  she  was,  she  saw  in  it 
only  a  display  of  vulgar  taste. 

"You  could  not  wear  these  things  here,"  said 
Wheeler  in  explanation  to  his  wife.  "Men  would 
stare  you  out  of  countenance  and  insult  you  if  you 
appeared  in  them  on  the  streets,  while  women  would 
treat  you  with  derision.  In  time,  my  dear,  you  shall 
be  provided  with  handsome  gowns  of  Paris  make,  but 
at  present  there  must  be  no  display." 


125 

Indeed,  Wheeler  set  her  the  example  in  plain 
dressing,  for  he  wore  a  suit  of  English  tweed,  and 
sacrificed  his  cherished  beard.  The  change  in  his  ap 
pearance  was  almost  as  great  as  the  difference  in  his 
name,  and  the  capitalists  with  whom  he  consulted 
from  day  to  day  thought  it  strange  that  a  great  cor 
poration  like  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Refining 
Company,  which  was  now  reaching  out  to  control  the 
petroleum  trade  of  the  world,  should  be  represented 
in  Paris  by  so  ordinary  and  common  a  man. 

When  they  were  unpacking  her  trunks,  Betsey 
came  upon  the  letter  which  her  father  had  written 
and  concealed  in  the  folds  of  one  of  her  dresses.  She 
caught  it  eagerly  to  her  lips  and  tears  filled  her  eyes. 

Jeannette,  who  had  been  bidden  to  watch  closely 
that  her  mistress  should  neither  write  nor  receive  let 
ters,  held  out  her  hand  and  aslfed  that  the  missive  be 
surrendered  to  her  keeping. 

"No,"  said  Mrs.  Wheeler  with  indignation  little 
short  of  anger,  "you  cannot  have  it ;  nor  can  my  hus 
band  have  it.  This  is  from  my  old  father." 

She  went  to  the  further  side  of  the  room,  and  Jean 
nette  saw  her  kiss  the  paper  and  heard  her  sob  as  she 
read  it  line  by  line.  She  took  no  further  interest  in 
what  was  going  on  around  her,  but  all  the  afternoon 
read  and  re-read  the  cramped  and  almost  undecipher 
able  characters.  Jeannette  heard  her  mistress  talk 
ing  to  herself  between  outbursts  of  grief,  but  could 


126  Ci)e 

distinguish  nothing  she  said  except  the  oft-repeated 
words,  "Dear  old  dad !  O,  my  dear  old  dad !" 

Toward  the  close  of  the  business  day  when  Wheel 
er's  return  might  be  expected,  Betsey  tore  the  letter 
into  tiny  bits  and  scattered  the  pieces  upon  the  coals 
in  the  grate.  Only  a  part  of  the  first  page  she  kept, 
and  put  it  in  her  purse.  Some  days  later,  when  the 
circumstances  had  been  duly  reported  by  Jeannette 
to  her  master,  Wheeler  asked  Betsey  what  her  father 
had  written.  She  frankly  showed  him  the  scrap  of 
paper  and  he  read  these  words: 

"Dear  little  betsy  i  am  goin'  ter  write  youns  jest 
as  tho  youns  was  a  little  gal  livin'  with  me  an'  Ma 
an'  coon  on  the  old  Farm  in  cameron  Valley." 

That  was  all,  nor  would  she  tell  him  more.  He  re 
turned  the  lines  without  remark. 

In  the  months  which  followed,  Wheeler  was  not  un 
kind  to  his  wife,  though  she  knew  that  when  he  was 
not  present  the  French  girl  kept  her  under  constant 
surveillance.  He  sent  to  their  apartments  pretty 
pieces  of  bric-a-brac  and  furnishings.  The  walls 
were  adorned  with  a  number  of  excellent  pictures; 
fresh  flowers  arrived  daily,  and  in  time  Jeannette 
brought  a  costume-maker,  who  selected  materials  and 
made  up  for  madame  a  number  of  handsome  gowns 
for  house  wear.  The  massive  gold  watch  and  chain, 
which  had  been  the  amazement  of  Bradan,  several 
very  large  and  ugly  rings  and  some  brooches  of  the 
same  character,  one  by  one  disappeared,  to  be  replaced 


127 

by  artistic  and  delicately-wrought  ornaments  set  with 
gems  of  no  mean  value  or  insignificant  number. 

Mrs.  Wheeler  learned  that  none  of  these  gifts  was 
for  street  wear.  When  she  went  upon  her  almost 
daily  excursions  with  Jeannette,  or  accompanied  her 
husband,  as  she  sometimes  did,  to  the  theatre,  she 
wore  the  dark  grey  that  was  so  commonly  worn  by 
people  of  moderate  station.  She  knew  why  it  was. 
Eli  Wheeler,  known  in  Paris  as  Cyrus  White,  repre 
senting  American  securities,  but  chiefly  Cygnet  Oil 
Producing  and  Refining  Company  interests,  lived  in 
constant  fear  that  some  of  the  men  whose  confidence 
he  had  betrayed  and  whose  property  he  had  embez 
zled  would  run  him  down  and  make  the  attempt  to 
secure  satisfaction  for  their  wrongs.  At  times  he 
confessed  to  her  that  he  entertained  this  fear,  and 
admitted  that  he  used  every  means  to  keep  away  from 
American  visitors. 

"Why  do  you  not  get  Mr.  Lanphere  to  settle  for 
you  with  these  men  ?"  she  one  day  asked  him. 

Wheeler  looked  at  her  and  then  burst  out  laughing. 
"Lanphere  settle  with  anyone  he  has  helped  to  do 
up!"  he  said.  "That  only  shows  what  a  child  you 
are,  Betsey.  It  isn't  Lanphere's  policy  to  settle  with 
any  man  who  has  met  him  and  been  defeated  in  a 
business  deal,  much  less  with  one  who  has  withstood 
him.  If  I  should  suggest  it,  he  would  think  I  had 
gone  crazy." 

"But  you  surely  do  not  intend  to  keep  what  you 


128  cfte  ^potter* 

have  taken  from  my  father,  and  leave  him  and  my 
mother  to  live  in  want  ?"  she  questioned. 

"No,  Betsey,  I  don't.  The  truth  is,  I  never  felt 
just  right  about  that  little  deal  with  Mr.  Tubbs.  I 
believe  he  knew  all  the  time  that  I  was  trading  in  a 
gold  brick  scheme,  and  I  have  thought  that  he  ap 
peared  glad  to  know  that  his  money  was  going.  Your 
father  was  never  completely  happy  in  the  effort  to 
shine  in  society,  and  he  kept  thinking  with  regret  of 
the  old  days  before  his  property  came  to  him." 

Mrs.  Wheeler's  face  clouded  and  with  difficulty 
she  refrained  from  tears. 

"I  have  been  planning  how  I  could  send  him  some 
money  without  letting  him  know  whence  it  conies," 
continued  Wheeler. 

"Oh,  let  me  write  to  my  father  and  mother  and 
send  them  something,"  she  pleaded.  "They  may  be 
in  want,  or  ill,  and  I  know  that  they  would  tell  no 
one  that  we  are  here;" 

"It  won't  do,"  he  said,  seeing  that  he  had  gone  just 
a  little  farther  than  he  intended.  "If  anything  of 
that  kind  is  done,  it  must  be  through  Lanphere.  But 
they  are  not  in  need  at  present.  They  are  living  with 
Cameron's  wife  and  daughter,  and  your  father  has 
been  making  more  than  enough  to  support  them  out 
of  a  little  business  I  got  Lanphere  to  throw  in  his 
way.  Let  the  matter  rest,  Betsey,  for  the  present, 
and  don't  you.  attempt  to  write  them,  as  it  might 


C6e  Spotter,  129 

mean  the  loss  of  everything — my  imprisonment,  your 
destitution,  and  the  ruin  of  the  Cygnet" 

She  remained  thoughtful  a  few  moments.  "You 
say  that  father  and  mother  are  with  Mrs.  Cameron 
and  Agnes ;  where  is  Mr.  Cameron  ?" 

Wheeler  looked  around  in  quick  apprehension. 
"No  one  knows,"  he  replied  in  an  undertone.  "His 
wife  and  daughter  think  he  is  dead,  as  no  trace  has 
been  discovered  of  him  since  a  few  days  after  I  sold 
out  to  the  Cygnet.  Mrs.  Cameron  reported  to  the 
authorities  that  he  appeared  dazed  by  his  misfor 
tunes,  as  he  persisted  in  calling  the  unexpected  turn 
of  his  investment.  One  day  he  disappeared  without 
a  word  of  explanation. 

"Pshaw!"  after  a  moment's  silence.  "I  thought 
Cameron  had  more  sand  than  that.  He  fought  the 
Cygnet  like  a  hero,  and  they  could  not  down  him 
either,  till  Lanphere  put  it  in  my  hands."  He 
laughed  with  a  certain  pride  in  his  victory,  and  his 
fingers  sought  his  cheeks  where  they  were  formerly 
accustomed  to  twist  themselves  through  his  flowing 
side- whiskers.  "He  might  have  expected  it,  though, 
for  he  was  a  man  of  some  experience  in  the  world 
and  should  have  known  that  individuals  who  attempt 
to  stay  the  march  of  great  corporations  are  swept  out 
of  the  way  like  so  many  flies.  What  was  Cameron's 
fortune  and  happiness,  or  what  are  the  fortunes  and, 
the  happiness  of  a  thousand  Camerons,  that  they 


130  Cfje 

should  stand  in  the  way  of  the  success  of  an  organi 
zation  such  as  the  Cygnet  ?" 

Soon  after  taking  up  the  life  in  Paris,  Mrs.  Wheel 
er  commenced  a  regular  course  of  study  and  reading. 
She  asked  for  books,  and  though  wondering  where 
she  learned  which  ones  she  most  needed,  her  husband 
procured  them.  She  did  not  tell  him  that  the  list  was 
one  that  Duncan  Cameron  had  prepared  for  his  own 
daughter  long  before,  and  that  through  some  chance 
it  had  remained  in  Betsey's  possession.  Wheeler 
was  amused  over  the  enthusiasm  which  she  exhibited 
in  this  new  work,  but  in  time  he  came  to  consider  it 
with  something  like  amazement,  for  his  wife  made 
such  rapid  progress  and  stuck  so  closely  to  her  stud 
ies  that  he  daily  marvelled  over  her  improvement. 
He  spoke  with  Jeannette  concerning  it. 

"Ah,  madame,  read,  read,  study,  study  all  the 
time.  She  walks  the  floor  with  a  book  in  her  hand, 
repeating  that  which  she  reads  until  it  is  learned  by 
heart.  When  we  go  out  to  walk,  she  keeps  the  book 
in  her  hand  until  we  reach  the  door,  and  on  the  street 
she  is  thinking  upon  that  which  she  studies.  So 
when  we  come  to  the  door  again  she  hastens  to  seize 
the  book  and  find  out  if  she  has  made  no  mistake. 
Every  hour  that  monsieur  is  from  home,  madam  is 
thus  employed." 

Wheeler  noticed  that  his  wife  grew  nervous  and 
pale,  and  he  protested  that  she  was  making  herself 
ill  by  such  constant  devotion  to  her  books. 


Spotter,  131 

"It  will  do  me  no  harm,"  she  replied,  "and  as  I 
neglected  study  so  many  years,  I  must  make  an  effort 
to  catch  up,  now  that  I  have  the  opportunity." 

"But  you  have  lost  interest  in  all  else,"  he  contin 
ued,  "and  scarcely  leave  the  house  from  one  week's 
end  to  another." 

"No,  you  are  wrong.  I  have  not  lost  interest,  but 
new  interests  are  awakened.  Besides,  the  weather 
has  not  been  pleasant,  and  so  Jeannette  and  I  have 
kept  rather  closely  to  our  rooms.  As  the  pleasant 
days  come,  we  will  go  out  more  frequently." 

"In  a  trifle  over  a  year  you  have  mastered  a  course 
that  is  not  usually  covered  by  a  seminary  student  in 
three  times  that  period,"  he  persisted. 

Mrs.  Wheeler  appeared  to  be  pleased  over  this  ad 
mission  on  the  part  of  her  husband,  and  before  the 
subject  was  dismissed  she  promised  to  walk  at  least 
an  hour  in  the  open  air  every  pleasant  day. 

Several  weeks  after  this  conversation,  Mrs.  Wheel 
er  and  Jeannette  were  one  day  taking  an  accustomed 
walk,  when,  upon  turning  into  a  rather  narrow  street 
leading  back  toward  home,  they  saw  Mr.  Wheeler  ap 
proaching  from  the  opposite  direction.  As  they 
neared  him,  a  tall,  black-whiskered  man  emerged 
from  the  door  of  a  shop  almost  beside  them.  His 
eyes  were  bent  to  the  pavement  and  he  did  not  for  the 
moment  notice  the  presence  of  the  ladies  who  were 
so  near  him. 


132  c&e  potter* 

When  Mrs.  Wheeler  saw  his  face,  she  stopped 
abruptly  and  caught  Jeannette  by  the  arm. 

"What  is  it,  madame  ?"  asked  the  startled  girl. 

"Quick !"  she  answered  in  a  sharp  whisper.  "That 
man — warn  my  husband !" 

The  stranger  at  this  moment  raised  his  eyes  and 
looked  Mrs.  Wheeler  full  in  the  face;  then  stepped 
forward  a  pace  or  two  and  stood  before  her. 

"Mr.  Cameron!"  she  murmured,  still  clinging  to 
Jeannette's  arm  to  keep  from  falling. 

"Exactly,  ma'am." 

"Why,  what  brings  you  to  Paris,  Mr.  Cameron  ?" 

"I  have  come,  ma'am,  in  search  of  Eli  Wheeler." 

At  that  moment  Cameron  felt  a  heavy  stroke  upon 
his  shoulder,  and  turning,  stood  face-to-face  with  the 
man  whom  he  had  been  trailing  for  nearly  two  years. 

"Duncan  Cameron,  as  I  am  alive !"  said  Wheeler, 
as  though  greeting  an  old  friend,  and  at  the  same 
time  extending  his  hand. 

Cameron  drew  back,  trembling  with  passion  and 
indignation. 

"You  thief !  you  scoundrel !  you  deceitful  cur !"  he 
said  through  his  clenched  teeth,  as  he  glowered  at  the 
man  who  had  accomplished  his  ruin. 

Wheeler  paused  to  glance  around  them.  Up  to  the 
present  they  had  attracted  no  unusual  attention  from 
the  few  persons  in  the  vicinity.  He  saw  this,  and 
turning  with  a  smile,  said :  "Come,  Cameron,  you,  as 
a  man  of  sense,  ought  to  know  that  it  is  to  no  purpose 


C6e  Spotter*  133 

to  use  language  like  that  in  the  open  streets  of  a  city 
in  which  we  are  both  strangers." 

"Your  pardon,  messieurs/'  said  Jeannette,  step 
ping  forward,  "the  police  of  Paris  are  most  vigilant 
and  are  quick  to  apprehend  those  who  engage  in  dis 
putes.  If  there  is  a  matter  of  difference  between 

you " 

"A  mere  misunderstanding,"  said  Wheeler,  bow 
ing. 

" there  is  a  public  house  near  where  you  may 

have  a  room  to  yourselves  and  discuss  your  affairs 
without  interruption." 

A  glance  of  intelligence  passed  between  the  woman 
and  her  master. 

"The  girl  is  right,"  said  he,  turning  to  Cameron. 
"You  and  I  can't  afford  to  quarrel,  Mr.  Cameron,  es 
pecially  in  the  street.  Indeed,  I  do  not  see  that  the 
necessity  exists  for  a  quarrel  in  any  place ;  but  if  you 
care  to  talk  over  the — ah,  misunderstanding  which 
seems  to  have  arisen  between  us,  you  may  do  it  with 
more  freedom  and  satisfaction  where  strangers  and 
police  officers  are  not  present." 

"As  you  please,  and  where  you  please,"  said  Cam 
eron.  "I  have  not  followed  you  all  these  months 
merely  to  say  good-day  to  you  and  let  you  pass." 

Jeannette  beckoned  to  a  dark-browed,  keen-look 
ing  man  who  was  lounging  under  an  awning  near 
them.  As  he  approached,  Mrs.  Wheeler  recalled  his 
face  as  a  familiar  one,  for  she  frequently  wondered 


134  Cfje  ^potter. 

why  this  man  was  so  often  near  when  she  and  Jean- 
nette  were  walking.  The  man  touched  his  hat,  and 
Jeannette  spoke  a  few  sentences  to  him  in  an  under 
tone.  Then  he  turned  to  *ihe  gentlemen  and  ex 
pressed  his  pleasure  in  Oeing  able  to  guide  them  to 
"a  very  respectable  and  quiet  public  house." 

Seizing  her  mistress  by  the  arm,  Jeannette  turned 
and  hurried  her  toward  their  apartments.  Before 
proceeding  far,  Jeannette  stopped  and  spoke  to  an 
other  man  whom  she  called  to  her  side  with  a  gesture. 
Along  with  her  other  studies,  Mrs.  Wheeler  had  been 
picking  up  French  words  and  phrases  with  amazing 
rapidity,  and  though  the  girl  spoke  in  a  low  tone, 
Betsey  knew  that  the  man  was  told  that  his  imme 
diate  presence  was  wanted  at  "La  Vintage,  in  Rue  de 
Seine." 


C&e  Spotter*  135 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  APPOINTMENT  AT  LA  VINTAGE. 

THEKE  was  nothing  in  the  wine  room  of  La  Vint 
age  to  awaken  suspicion  on  the  part  of  Duncan  Cam 
eron.  To  all  appearances  it  was  not  unlike  a  thou 
sand  public  places  in  Paris,  or  London,  or  New  York, 
in  which  men  assemble  to  drink,  talk  politics,  lay 
plans,  criticise  the  government,  or  to  gamble  in  rooms 
provided  for  that  purpose.  Their  guide  exchanged  a 
few  words  at  the  bar,  and  on  returning  to  Wheeler 
and  Cameron  announced  that  a  room  would  be  made 
ready  for  them.  He  was  given  a  coin  by  Wheeler, 
and  disappeared.  Presently  a  waiter  beckoned  to 
them,  and  they  followed  him  into  a  long  hall  from 
which  doors  opened  on  either  side.  Through  one  of 
these  they  were  ushered  into  an  apartment  of  gen 
erous  size.  It  was  furnished  with  several  small 
round  tables  and  chairs  at  each.  Wheeler  directed 
that  wine  and  cigars  be  brought,  and  when  these  were 
served,  the  waiter  withdrew. 

Filling  a  glass,  Wheeler  politely  extended  it  to 
Cameron,  but  the  latter  shook  his  head. 


136 

"I  could  not  drink  with  you,  Wheeler.  It  is  not 
pleasant  to  even  be  in  the  same  room  with  you." 

Wheeler's  eyes  were  steady  now.  Cameron  remem 
bered  them  in  that  way  that  day  back  on  the  farm 
when  the  plan  to  organize  the  independent  producers 
and  refiners  was  unfolded. 

"This  is  awkward,  Cameron,  decidedly  awkward," 
he  said,  without  apparently  noticing  the  anger  of  the 
other.  "I  may  say  to  you  frankly  that  I  am  sorry 
that  you  followed  me  to  Paris." 

"Could  you  expect  a  man  to  do  less — a  man  whose 
confidence  and  trust  have  been  betrayed,  who  has  been 
defrauded  of  his  property  and  left  a  pauper  ?  Is  it 
unnatural  that  I  should  seek  redress  ?" 

"Under  some  circumstances,  perhaps  not.  But  in 
the  present  instance  I  fail  to  see  what  you  may  expect 
to  gain  by  what  must  have  been  a  long  and  very  diffi 
cult  trip.  However,  an  explanation  may  clear  the 
point,  and  so  I  should  be  pleased  to  have  you  tell  me 
just  what  you  want  me  to  do." 

"Restore  every  dollar  that  you  stole  from  Jim 
Tubbs  and  embezzled  from  me,"  said  Cameron,  strik 
ing  the  table  a  blow  that  made  the  glasses  jingle. 
"And  more  than  that,  I  want  a  confession,  signed  and 
witnessed,  that  will  lay  bare  the  conspiracy  between 
yourself  and  Lanphere  and  show  to  the  world  the 
great  wrong  done  those  who  have  been  struggling  to 
withstand  the  oppression  of  the  all-powerful  company 
of  which  he  is  the  head." 


C&e  Spotter,  137 

"Is  that  all,  Cameron  ?" 

"I  am  in  no  temper  to  take  your  sneers,  sir." 

"I  observe  that  you  are  not  calm,  and  I  am  sorry ; 
it  is  so  much  easier  to  get  along  when  one  is  calm." 

He  selected  a  cigar  and  lighted  it  with  delibera 
tion.  "Suppose  I  should  refuse  to  grant  these — let 
me  see,  what  shall  I  call  them — ah,  requests  of 
yours  ?  What  then  ?" 

Cameron,  half-rising  from  his  chair,  leaned 
toward  Wheeler  across  the  table. 

"Wheeler,  I  am  not  the  Duncan  Cameron  whom 
you  found  living  so  happily  with  his  wife  and  daugh 
ter  upon  his  farm,  surrounded  by  his  cattle  and 
horses,  which  he  had  learned  to  love  as  beautiful  and 
obedient  creatures  which  God  has  given  to  aid  man 
in  his  support.  Nor  am  I  the  Duncan  Cameron  who 
heard  the  story  you  told  of  a  mighty  effort  on  the  part 
of  men  who  were  oppressed  that  they  might  throw 
off  the  ever-tightening  toils  of  an  unholy  corporation 
that  was  usurping  their  rights  of  trade  and  barter  in 
a  free  and  open  market.  Nor  yet  again  am  I  the 
Duncan  Cameron  whose  hand  signed  to  you  all  that 
he  possessed,  and  who  was  persuaded  against  his  own 
judgment  by  the  lies  that  were  so  ready  upon  your 
tongue.  That  Cameron  was  childish — I  have  out 
grown  him.  That  Cameron  had  forgiveness,  compas 
sion,  tenderness  and  pity  in  his  heart — this  Cameron 
has  brushed  them  aside  until  he  shall  have  dealt  with 
the  man  to  whom  such  qualities  are  strangers. 


138  Cfte  Spotter. 

"If  you  refuse  to  restore  to  me  that  which  is  mine, 
and  to  give  into  my  hands  in  trust  that  which  I  have 
demanded  for  others,  I  will  take  you  by  the  throat  as 
I  would  a  cur  that  might  attack  me.  I  will  drag  you 
through  that  door,  through  the  hall  and  the  wine 
room  beyond,  into  the  street — and  there,  if  you  be 
yet  alive,  I  will  give  you  and  myself  into  the  hands 
of  the  police,  believing  that  even  in  the  courts  of 
France  the  right  will  prevail." 

Wheeler  cowed  before  the  white  face  and  blazing 
eyes  that  looked  down  upon  him.  He  glanced  uneas 
ily  past  Cameron  into  the  gathering  gloom  of  the 
room,  and  saw  a  screen  near  the  rear  wall  noiselessly 
moved  aside.  He  toyed  a  moment  with  his  glass  of 
wine,  as  though  considering  an  answer.  Then  raised 
the  glass  towards  his  lips — and  splashed  the  contents 
full  in  the  face  of  the  man  before  him. 

Though  blinded  by  the  liquor,  Cameron  leaped  the 
table  and  caught  his  assailant  by  the  throat  before  he 
could  rise.  Wheeler  was  borne  to  the  floor  by  the  in 
furiated  man  whose  grasp  was  like  that  of  a  trained 
athlete.  In  the  instant  that  followed,  Wheeler  real 
ized  his  helplessness  and  felt  that  his  life  was  being 
crushed  out  by  one  tremendous  outburst  of  awful  pas 
sion.  There  was  the  roar  of  a  swift-moving  train  in 
his  ears  and  the  shock  of  a  trip-hammer  upon  his 
brain — then  insensibility. 

When  Wheeler  recovered,  Jules,  who  had  conduct 
ed  them  to  the  place,  was  supporting  him  upon  his 


C6e  Spotter,  139 

knee.  Henri,  to  whom  Jeannette  had  given  warning 
that  he  was  wanted  at  La  Vintage,  was  holding 
brandy  to  his  lips.  The  table  and  chair  had  been 
righted,  and  candles  were  burning.  By  this  light, 
.Wheeler  saw  Cameron's  body  lying  near. 

"You  were  none  too  soon,"  he  said  feebly,  after  a 
moment  in  which  he  collected  his  wandering  senses. 

"Indeed,  we  were  not,  monsieur.  He  was  like  a 
tiger." 

"Is  he  dead?" 

"I  think  not,  monsieur.  The  blow  was  with  a  sand 
club,  for  we  did  not  know  your  desires." 

Wheeler  sipped  some  of  the  brandy  and  raised  him 
self  to  a  more  nearly  sitting  posture.  He  glanced 
about  the  room. 

"It  is  my  desire  to  be  rid  of  him,"  he  said,  quietly. 

"It  is  easily  arranged,  monsieur,"  said  Henri.  "In 
an  hour  he  will  partially  regain  his  senses  and  can  be 
led  hence  between  two  friends — a  drunken  man  who 
is  being  conducted  to  his  home." 

"What  will  you  do  with  him,  then  ?" 

"A  boat  ride  on  the  Seine,  monsieur,  to  cool  his 
head.  He  returns  not." 

Wheeler  shuddered.  Hardened  though  he  was, 
this  bargaining  for  the  destruction  of  a  man's  life 
had  about  it  something  he  had  not  encountered  in  the 
career  of  embezzlement  and  fraud  which  he  pursued. 
He  glanced  at  Cameron  with  something  of  pity. 


140  Cfte 

Henri,  noticing  this  and  fearing  that  the  opportunity 
to  earn  a  liberal  sum  was  slipping  from  them,  shook 
his  head  and  remarked:  "Ah,  monsieur,  he  is  a  dan 
gerous  enemy." 

"Yes,  too  dangerous.  What  pay  do  you  want,  Le 
Garde,  for  this  service  ?" 

"Only  five  hundred  francs  for  each." 

"I  have  but  a  small  sum  with  me." 

"We  have  learned  in  the  past  that  monsieur  is  a 
gentleman  and  a  man  of  his  word  in  matters  of  busi 
ness.  His  promise  is  sufficient." 

"The  money  will  be  paid  to-morrow." 

An  hour  later,  Duncan  Cameron,  with  eyes  half- 
closed  and  head  bent  forward  upon  his  breast,  was  led 
or  dragged  through  the  hall  and  wine  room  of  La 
Vintage  to  the  street.  The  scene  was  too  common  to 
attract  attention  from  the  few  who  sat  at  the  tables  in 
the  dingy  room,  for  it  was  only  a  stranger  who  had 
been  drugged,  or  was  drunken,  and  who  was  in  good 
hands.  Henri  and  Jules  would  take  care  that  no 
money  remained  in  his  pockets  when  they  should 
leave  him,  and  upon  their  return  all  would  drink  to 
the  happy  circumstance. 

The  quay  was  almost  entirely  deserted,  for  a  storm 
of  sleet  and  rain  was  drifting  up  from  the  distant 
ocean,  and  its  advance  drove  nearly  everybody  from 
the  open  air. 

"We  will  have  a  rough  night,"  said  Jules,  after 


Cfje  Spotter,  141 

they  had  placed  Cameron  in  a  boat  which  one  of 
them  previously  had  secured  for  the  purpose.  "But 
it  is  very  dark;  we  need  not  go  far." 

"Indeed,  I  do  not  think  that  morning  will  more 
than  find  us  at  our  destination." 

"Why,  how  may  that  be  ?  We  can  safely  dispose 
of  this  log  in  an  hour." 

"Fool !  I  am  surprised  over  your  lack  of  precep- 
tion.  No  wonder,  Jules,  that  you  are  always  out  of 
money." 

"I  do  not  see  any  advantage  in  rowing  all  night  to 
tumble  a  man  into  the  Seine  when  the  shadow  of  the 
first  bridge  will  serve  all  the  purpose  of  conceal 
ment." 

"Still  Jules,  the  blind !  Cannot  you  see  that  if 
this  man  dead  is  worth  a  thousand  francs  to  M. 
White,  he  is  worth  alive  ten  thousand,  or  twenty  thou 
sand  to  Henri  and  Jules  ?" 

Jules  dropped  his  oar  and  turned  in  astonishment 
toward  his  companion. 

"Ah,  ha !"  laughed  Henri.  "Has  it  at  last  reached 
your  brain,  my  cousin  ?  I  have  been  bursting  with  it 
for  an  hour.  I  scarcely  could  hold  myself,  and  I 
feared  that  monsieur  would  see  it  in  my  face  and 
change  his  plans.  But  he  is  as  dull  an  ass  as  is  my 
fellow-villain,  Jules." 

"Die,  no  my  precious  fire-eater !"  he  said,  tenderly 
raising  Cameron's  head  and  placing  a  coat  under  it 


142  cije  Spotter, 

*"You  shall  not  die.  We  will  take  you  to  Gaspard  at 
Mantes — Gasperd  the  skillful  who  was  driven  out  of 
Paris  when  the  glorious  Commune  was  overthrown 
— he  will  nurse  you  back  to  life  and  health.  Then 
as  long  as  you  live,  and  while  M.  White  has  a  sou 
in  his  pockets,  you  are  as  good  to  Henri  and  Jules 
as  would  be  the  Bank  of  France." 

Quickly  appreciating  his  companion's  plan,  Jules 
stripped  off  his  coat  and  threw  it  over  Cameron's 
unconscious  form;  then  they  bent  together  against 
the  oars,  as  men  who  knew  the  work  and  the  rewards 
before  them. 

Eli  Wheeler  left  La  Vintage  a  few  moments  later 
than  the  villains  he  had  hired  to  make  way  with 
Cameron.  He  followed  them  to  the  quay,  and  upon 
arriving  there  could  just  distinguish  in  the  dis 
tance  a  rapidly-moving  boat.  He  smiled  to  himself 
with  satisfaction  that  he  was  now  free  from  inter 
ference  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  stolen  wealth.  He 
salved  his  conscience,  as  men  sometimes  do  who  hold 
dishonest  gettings,  with  the  reflection  that  if  Cam 
eron  had  submitted  to  the  robbery  with  meekness 
and  recognized  in  the  great  monarch  of  the  Cygnet 
Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company  a  new  de 
velopment  of  industry  that  would  go  forward  though 
it  must  rear  itself  upon  the  wrecked  hopes  and  ambi 
tions  of  thousands  of  individuals,  he  might  at  this 
time  have  been  in  his  own  home,  possibly  support- 


Cfje  Spotter,  143 

ting  his  family  upon  employment  furnished  by  those 
who  had  seized  his  substance.     As  it  was — 

Well,  even  Eli  Wheeler  shuddered  as  he  saw  in 
dark  places  along  the  street  on  his  way  home  visions 
of  Cameron's  face  floating  on  the  surface  of  the 
Seine. 


144  c&e  Spotter* 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MRS.   WHEELER  LOCKS   THE  BOOK. 

MRS.  WHEELER  could  not  define  the  feeling  with 
which  she  waited  the  coming  of  her  husband.  The 
quality  of  sympathy,  which  is  found  in  its  true 
sense  only  in  those  who  have  suffered,  had  been 
growing  in  her  nature  and  was  aroused  to  its  sharp 
est  degree.  The  remembrance  of  Cameron's  wrongs, 
which  she  never  fully  realized  until  she  met  him 
in  the  street  and  there  saw  the  great  change  in  his 
appearance  from  the  man  she  had  known  as  a 
progressive  and  contented  neighbor,  awakened  in  her 
deep  emotions.  He  was  unkempt ;  he  appeared  to  be 
in  want,  for  his  clothing,  while  not  actually  ragged, 
lore  the  stains  of  travel  and  hardships;  there  was 
in  his  face  a  look  of  hunger  and  hard  denial  of  those 
comforts,  and  even  necessities  to  which  he  had  been 
accustomed ;  she  guessed,  and  rightly,  too,  that  there 
was  not  a  sou  in  his  possession,  and  that  he  was 
drinking  from  the  very  dregs  of  despair.  All  her 
well  of  sympathy  was  opened,  and,  if  it  had  been 
within  her  power,  Mrs.  Wheeler  would  have  put 


Cfie  Spotter,  145 


forth  her  hand  to  save  Duncan  Cameron  from  the 
danger  into  which  she  felt  he  had  been  decoyed.  An 
impulse  seized  her  to  return  to  the  streets  in  the 
effort  to  again  find  Cameron,  and  to  implore  her  hus 
band  to  treat  him  fairly  and  with  kindne^. 

Her  husband!  More  than  ever  before  did  she 
realize  now  that  she  never  loved  Eli  Wheeler.  Vain, 
inexperienced,  ignorant,  aspiring  Betsey  Tubbs  had 
been  caught  by  the  dazzle  of  the  candle.  Its  flame, 
searing  her  wings,  awakened  her  intelligence,  and 
her  one  desire,  since  the  hour  his  duplicity  was  fully 
revealed  to  her  in  London  on  their  journey  thither, 
had  been  to  escape  from  this  man  whom  she  wedded 
in  her  blindness.  All  her  love  of  display,  her  eager 
thirst  for  the  grand  successes  in  social  life  of  which 
she  had  dreamed,  and  which  Wheeler  pictured  so 
vividly  to  her  as  wholly  within  her  grasp,  were  now 
of  the  past.  She  was  contrite,  humbled.  The  rugged 
honesty  of  her  father  arose  within  her,  and  she  felt 
ashamed  and  disgraced  to  be  supported  by  the  money 
which  Eli  Wheeler  had  gotten  through  such  shock 
ing  dishonesty. 

Smouldering  in  her  heart  for  months  was  a  prayer 
that  she  might  escape  from  the  conditions  which  sur 
rounded  her  and  go.  back  to  the  old  home.  ISTow  it 
burst  from  her  lips  in  nervous  and  almost  incoherent 
sentences,  broken  by  sobs  and  expressions  of  vain 
regret 

Almost  since  her  first  trip  with  Jeannette  through 


146 

Paris  streets,  Mrs.  Wheeler  had  been  looking  for 
Cameron's  appearance.  She  knew  her  husband 
feared  that  he  would  come,  and  this  led  her  to  hope 
that  it  would  so  result.  She  thought  of  such  a  coming 
as  almost  certain  to  release  her  from  the  hated  bonds, 
which  were  becoming  more  unbearable  each  day  as 
her  conscience  broadened  and  her  knowledge  of  right 
and  wrong  grew.  She  pictured  Cameron  as  coming 
with  authority,  with  the  strong  arm  of  right  and  of 
law  to  guard  him — but  when  he  appeared  it  was  as 
a  pitiful  tramp,  half -crazed  by  the  haunting  memory 
of  his  undoing,  and  with  no  thought  other  than  to 
take  by  the  throat  the  man  responsible  for  his  ruin 
and  by  force  of  grip  to  tear  from  his  enemy  that 
which  had  been  lost.  Thus  he  came,  and  she  had 
seen  him  trapped  and  led  away,  perhaps  to  be  mur 
dered,  while  she  was  without  power  to  aid  or  warn 
him. 

Jeannette  came  to  her  with  some  show  of  affec 
tion  and  said  that  madame  had  no  cause  for  alarm. 
Had  not  Jeannette's  brother  Jules,  and  her  very 
dear  cousin  Henri,  gone  to  La  Vintage  to  be  of 
service  to  Monsieur  White  ?  They  were  brave  young 
men,  and  madame  may  be  assured  they  will  protect 
monsieur  from  his  foe.  Should  it  be  necessary,  they 
will  fight  for  monsieur. 

"It  is  not  for  the  safety  of  monsieur  that  I  fear," 
replied  Mrs.  Wheeler,  unguardedly. 

"Ah,  madame,  then  for  whom?" 


Cfje  Spotter*  147 


"For  this  —  friend;  or  he  who  once  was  a  friend, 
who  has  been  so  wronged  in  the  past  and  who  is 
now  trapped  by  one  who  has  so  much  reason  to  fear 
him,  and  by  hired  cut-throats." 

"Cut-throats!  Surely  madame  must  have  a  high 
opinion  of  her  husband  to  insinuate  that  the  —  gen 
tleman,  who  seemed  to  interest  madame  so  much 
from  the  moment  she  saw  him,  has  been  decoyed  by 
monsieur  into  danger." 

Jeannette  waited  a  moment  for  reply,  but  none 
came.  In  the  months  she  had  been  in  the  employ 
ment  of  M.  White  she  had  not  been  idle  in  efforts 
to  discover  the  history  which  she  and  her  friends 
believed  covered  the  past  life  of  her  employer.  She 
learned  little  of  value  to  them,  however;  but  now 
she  made  a  bold  guess. 

"Monsieur  may  have  a  cause.  It  is  not  often  that 
a  young  woman  loves  two  men,  each  old  enough  to 
be  her  father  —  her  husband,  and  another." 

The  mistress  looked  in  astonishment  at  the  up 
raised  and  half-smiling  face  of  Jeannette. 

"Me!  I  love  Duncan  Cameron?  Oh,  no,  Jean 
nette,  I  am  not  a  French  woman.  This  is  not  a  love 
affair,  Jeannette,  be  assured  of  that.  I  need  not 
explain  further  than  to  say  that  Mr.  Cameron  has 
been  wronged,  cruelly  wronged,  and  now  I  fear  -  " 

"What,  madame  ?" 

"Another  wrong,  perhaps  more  cruel  than  the 
first,  if  that  is  possible." 


148  Cfte  Spotter. 

She  attempted  to  interest  herself  in  her  books,  but 
soon  turned  from  them  and  wandered  aimlessly 
about  the  apartments. 

Jeannette  met  her  master  at  the  door  and  imparted 
to  him  the  details  of  madame's  conversation  and  con 
duct  during  the  afternoon.  When  he  finally  entered 
the  parlors,  Mrs.  Wheeler  saw  at  once  that  he  was 
unusually  pale  and  that  he  wore  a  folded  handker 
chief  about  his  neck.  She  ran  to  him  in  some  anxiety 
and  inquired  what  had  happened. 

"Nothing  that  is  at  all  alarming,"  was  his  reply. 
"The  air  is  damp  and  as  I  have  a  sore  throat,  I 
used  the  handkerchief  to  protect  it." 

"But — Mr.  Cameron?"  she  inquired,  hesitatingly. 

"Damn  Cameron!  What  concern  is  his  welfare 
to  you  ?" 

"I  want  to  know  what  has  become  of  him,"  she 
insisted,  firmly. 

"Oh,  you  do!  Well,  just  because  I  am  in  the 
mood,  and  not  at  all  because  you  want  to  know,  I'll 
tell  you.  He  has  decided  to  go  back  at  once." 

She  waited  a  moment.  "Did  you — was  there  any 
trouble  about  a  settlement?" 

"The  only  thing  that  should  be  of  interest  to  you 
is  that  your  husband  has  returned  to  his  home  alive 
and  unharmed;  but  that  appears  to  be  of  no 
moment,"  replied  Wheeler. 

"You  have  told  me  that  you  are  uninjured,  and 
I  have  accepted  your  word  for  it.  Now  I  ask  whether 


€&e  Spotter, 

you  have  settled  with  Duncan  Cameron;  or  have 
you  left  him  in  the  hands  of  those  who  would  do 
anything  with  him  that  you  bid — even  murder  ?" 

He  caught  her  by  the  wrist  with  a  grasp  that  left 
its  mark  for  hours,  and  pushed  her  rudely  upon  a 
chair. 

"Curse  that  tongue  of  yours !  What  hellish  idea 
has  set  it  harping  again  about  'settling  with  those 
I  have  wronged?'  I  thought  that  by  this  time  you 
had  learned  silence,  but  I  see  that  you  have  only 
been  smouldering  to  break  out  more  violently  than 
ever.  Now,  look  here,  Betsey" — and  he  shook  his 
forefinger  in  her  face- — "I  will  say  to  you  that  your 
man  Cameron  is  on  his  way  to  Havre,  and  that  he 
will  never  bother  me  again — and  be  damned  to  him. 
You  may  spare  your  commiseration  and  sympathy. 
I  made  money  out  of  him,  and  out  of  your  some 
what  amusing  and  extremely  simple  old  fool  of  a 
father,  in  a  fair  contest  of  brains  against  cupidity, 
and  I  am  going  to  keep  it.  You  may  stay  with  me 
and  enjoy  such  portion  of  the  cash  as  I  choose 
to  spend  upon  you ;  or  you  may  go  out  into  the  street, 
where  there  is  always  room  for  women  who  have 
neither  love  nor  sympathy  for  their  husbands." 

She  swept  his  threatening  hand  away  and  stood 
before  him,  blazing  with  indignation.  He  had  never 
seen  her  just  this  way  before,  and  he  marveled  over 
the  change. 

"I  was  silly,"  she  said,  so  quietly  that  he  scarcely 


150  ctje  Spotter, 

caught  her  words;  "silly,  foolish  and  ignorant,  but 
there  was  no  taint  upon  my  character.  I  was  vain, 
easily  led  in  many  things,  but  never  wicked  in  the 
way  you  suggest  for  my  escape  from  the  shame  of 
living  longer  with  an  embezzler.  You  know  this, 
and  you  know  that  my  mother,  a  shallow  woman 
whose  poor  head  was  turned  with  sudden  wealth, 
still  taught  her  daughter  that  there  is  no  degree  of 
want  and  misery  that  cannot  be  borne  with  a  happier 
heart  than  the  one  which  accompanies  a  life  of 
wealth  and  dishonor." 

Wheeler  attempted  to  speak,  but  she  would  not 
listen,  and  continued: 

"From  this  moment  I  would  consider  it  as  shame 
ful  to  live  as  your  wife  as  to  take  your  advice  and 
seek  the  streets  of  Paris.  I  have  no  money  with 
which  to  return  to  my  home,  where  I  may  find 
honorable  employment,  and  I  gather  that  you  will 
provide  me  with  none.  I  will  sell  such  of  the  cloth 
ing  and  jewelry  as  you  say  is  mine,  and  leave  you  at 
once  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  this  which  your  dis 
honesty  has  won  for  you.  Or,  if  this  you  prevent,  I 
will  go  with  nothing  and  trust  a  truthful  tale  to 
find  the  ears  of  people  who  will  give  me  shelter 
until  I  earn  the  sum  necessary  to  take  me  home." 

"High  tragedy!"  he  sneered,  white  with  rage. 
"High  tragedy  from  Betsey  Tubbs — the  new  wonder 
and  plaything  in  a  cracked-voice  chorus  at  ten  sous 
a  week.  Possibly  it  is  Betsey,  the  kitchen  maid,  or 


Cfje  Spotter,  151 


Betsey,  the  cook,  setting  before  the  Parisiennes, 
whom  she  came  to  dazzle  with  her  splendors,  the 
corn  cakes,  boiled  potatoes  and  fried  pork  of  the 
Pennsylvania  woods  !  Or,  is  it  Betsey,  the  waitress, 
with  fifty  words  of  French  in  her  vocabulary  and 
the  polished  manners  of  the  Junction  House  to  recom 
mend  her  ?  God  !  how  Paris  will  rave  over  her  !" 

She  made  no  reply,  but  stepped  quickly  past  him, 
entered  her  room,  closed  the  door  in  his  face  when 
he  attempted  to  follow,  and  turned  the  key  in  the 
lock. 


152  Ct)e  Spotter* 


CHAPTEE  XVI. 

MADAME   AND  JEANNETTE  IN    COMEDY. 

WHEN  breakfast  was  served  the  next  morning, 
madame  did  not  appear  at  the  table,  nor  did  she 
make  answer  to  her  husband's  summons,  frequently 
repeated,  or  to  his  threats  spoken  through  the  door. 
The  overture  for  a  truce  which  he  finally  adopted 
was  no  more  successful,  and,  so  far  as  Eli  Wheeler 
knew,  he  might  have  been  making  promises  to  an 
empty  room,  had  he  not  felt  certain  that  there  was 
no  way  for  his  wife  to  escape  from  it. 

Jeannette  persuaded  him  to  leave  madame  to  her 
self  for  a  few  hours.  She  was  still  angry,  argued 
the  girl,  but  in  time  her  temper  would  cool;  or 
she  would  be  brought  into  a  more  amiable  frame  of 
mind  by  the  hunger  which  a  perfectly  healthy  and 
vigorous  young  person  might  be  expected  to  experi 
ence.  This  Wheeler  finally  consented  to  do,  as  he 
felt  that  he  must  keep  his  appointment  with  Henri 
and  Jules  at  his  office,  and  he  was  quite  anxious  to 
learn  whether  they  had  performed  their  murderous 
work.  He  impressed  upon  the  woman  the  necessity 


Cjje  Spotter,  153 

of  a  close  watch  upon  her  mistress,  and  directed  that 
under  no  plea  should  she  be  permitted  to  leave  the 
apartments. 

Not  long  after  his  departure,  Mrs.  Wheeler  un 
locked  the  door  and  entered  the  sitting-room.  She 
was  clad  in  a  plain,  serviceable  dress  and  carried 
a  small  valise  in  which  had  been  placed  a  few 
necessary  articles  of  apparel. 

"Jeannette,"  she  said  to  the  girl,  "I  am  going 
away." 

"But  madame  cannot  go.  Monsieur  has  forbid 
den  it,  and  she  must  wait  until  his  return.  He  has 
given  me  strict  charge  to " 

"It  is  not  important  to  repeat  his  words.  I  have 
no  doubt  that  he  gave  orders  for  you  to  guard  me, 
Jeannette,  but  we  will  get  around  that.  Last  night 
he  placed  before  me  a  choice,  as  you  must  know,  for 
I  saw  you  lingering  at  the  door  where  you  might 
overhear  our  conversation." 

Jeannette  was  slightly  confused.  Surely,  madame, 
whom  she  almost  despised  for  her  dullness,  was  more 
observing  than  the  girl  thought. 

"But  he  was  angered,  madame,  and  now  repents 
what  he  said  in  a  moment  of  quick  temper." 

"He  meant  what  he  said  and  would  be  well  pleased 
to  be  rid  of  me — except  he  fears  that  I  would  return 
to  America  and  make  known  his  hiding-place  to 
those  who  may  wish  to  prosecute  him.  I  will  not  do 
that,  Jeannette;  I  make  that  promise  to  you,  for 


154 


you  now  are  more  deeply  interested  in  him  than  am 
I." 

"I,  madame?" 

"Yes,  Jeannette,  I  have  seen  it  for  some  time. 
There  is  something  about  this  man  that  wins  a 
woman,  though  I  cannot  tell  what  it  is.  You  have 
not  served  my  husband  as  his  spy  and  confederate 
simply  for  the  payment  of  wages." 

"Madame,  I  protest  -  " 

"Never  mind,  Jeannette;  I  have  no  feeling  of 
jealousy  whatever,  for  I  can  surrender  him  to  you 
without  a  pang  of  regret.  I  am  endeavoring  to 
escape,  and  by  doing  so  will  leave  him  wholly  to 
you.  There  is  no  reason  wrhy  I  should  warn  you, 
Jeannette,  for  you  have  seen  the  world  and  know 
the  men  in  it.  This  much  only  I  wish  to  say  —  his 
name  is  not  the  one  by  which  he  is  known  in  Paris." 

"I  know  it  is  not,  madame." 

"He  has  told  you  ?" 

"Madame,  it  is  understood  between  my  brother 
Jules,  my  cousin  Henri,  and  myself." 

"Then  you  have  warning.  I  may  also  tell  you 
that  he  has  great  wealth  in  his  hands,  and  is  well 
able  to  care  for  you  and  your  relatives.  See  that 
he  does." 

"But,  madame,  should  monsieur  return  to  find  that 
I  have  permitted  your  departure,  his  rage  would  be 
terrible.  He  would  drive  me  from  the  house  and 
set  all  the  police  of  Paris  upon  your  track." 


Cfje  Spotter,  155 


"We  will  shield  you,  Jeannette,  from  any  sus 
picion.  You  are  clever  enough  to  act  a  bit  of 
comedy,  for  you  may  think  the  stakes  worth  the 
effort.  Come  here."  And  she  led  the  girl  to  her 
room. 

"In  Canada  I  was  ill  with  neuralgia  and  a  phy- 
sician  gave  me  some  morphine.  Several  of  the  pow 
ders  are  unused.  See,  we  will  take  two  and  throw 
the  contents  of  the  papers  out  of  the  window"  — 
suiting  the  word  with  the  action  —  "and  leave  the 
empty  wrappers  here  on  the  stand.  Another  we  will 
put  in  the  wine  glass,  and  with  it  a  few  drops  of 
wine,  draining  the  liquor  off  to  make  it  appear  that 
the  potion  has  been  drunk  from  the  glass,  and  that 
a  small  part  remains.  This  paper  we  will  put  beside 
the  others,  carelessly  —  so.  Now  for  the  story: 

"When  monsieur  comes  home,  as  he  will,  as  fast 
as  a  carriage  may  bring  him,  you  will  tell  him 
this:  You  were  alarmed  over  the  continued  silence 
in  madame's  room.  You  called  to  her  frequently 
and  received  no  response,  and  finally  you  set  to  work 
to  gain  entrance.  With  a  piece  of  wire,  a  bent  hair 
pin  will  do,  you  worked  the  key  until  you  heard  it 
drop  inside  the  door.  You  could  see  nothing  through 
the  keyhole,  and  still  there  was  no  answer  to  your 
shouts.  You  tried  the  keys  in  all  the  doors  and  dis 
covered  that  the  one  from  the  wine  closet  would 
unlock  this  to  my  room.  You  entered,  and  saw  me 
lying,  fully  dressed  as  now,  upon  the  bed.  You 


156  C6e 

spoke,  and  I  did  not  answer,  but  when  you  took  hold 
of  my  shoulder  and  shook  me,  I  moaned,  and  would 
not  awaken.  You  saw  the  papers  on  the  stand 
and  the  wine  glass,  and  when  you  saw  the  white 
dregs,  you  touched  your  finger  to  the  wine  and 
tasted  it.  The  bitter  taste  convinced  you  that  I  had 
taken  morphine.  Then  you  ran  bareheaded  to  the 
telegraph  office  to  send  a  message  to  monsieur,  and 
then  came  back  with  all  speed  to  watch  with  madanae 
and  to  try  to  arouse  her.  When  you  came  to  the 
room  again,  madame  was  not  there !" 

Jeannette's  wondering  eyes  looked  upon  each 
action  of  her  mistress  as  she  moved  rapidly  about 
the  room  carrying  out  the  details  of  the  plot  she 
had  arranged.  Was  this  the  listless,  patient,  almost 
spiritless  woman  whom  she  had  been  guarding  all 
these  months  without  suspecting  that  she  was  any 
thing  more  than  a  dullard  who  had  few  accomplish 
ments,  whose  ambition  had  been  throttled,  and  whose 
chief  desire  was  to  study  everything  printed  in  the 
English  language  upon  which  she  might  lay  her 
hands?  Was  this  madame,  of  whom. monsieur  more 
than  once  had  spoken  contemptuously  as  "an  ignor 
ant  country  girl  with  more  beauty  than  sense,"  and 
who,  in  a  moment  of  weakness  he  had  married  "just 
for  the  novelty  of  the  adventure?" 

Their  eyes  met,  and  like  two  women  at  a  play 
who  turn  to  each  other  when  the  climax  comes  in 
the  comedy  situation,  they  burst  into  laughter. 


Cfje  Spotter*  157 

"Ah,  madame,  it  is  too  clever,"  said  Jeannette. 
"I  cannot  carry  it  on  without  laughing." 

"Never  fear,  Jeannette ;  when  it  becomes  real  you 
will  not  be  in  a  mood  for  humor." 

"But  where  will  you  go,  madame  ?  What  can  you 
do  without  money  or  friends  ?" 

"I  may  not  tell  you  where  I  shall  go.  I  have  a  few 
francs,  saved  a  sou  at  a  time  for  this  hour,  and  I 
shall  not  suffer." 

The  girl  hesitated,  but  to  her  mind  came  a  com 
pact  that  she  had  made  with  Henri  and  Jules  when 
she  obtained  the  employment  with  this  wealthy 
American — brave,  masterful  Henri,  to  whom  she  was 
plighted,  and  between  whom  and  her  brother  Jules 
there  was  an  understanding  that  they  should  get  M. 
Wheeler  in  their  power  and  pluck  him  as  he  had 
plucked  others.  Madame  thought  that  she,  Jean 
nette,  loved  monsieur.  Faugh!  she  despised  him. 
She  felt  when  he  came  fawning  around  her  as  though 
she  must  set  her  nails  in  his  face  and  tear  his  blink 
ing  eyes  from  their  sockets.  She  pitied  madame 
without  betraying  it,  and,  too,  in  the  end  madame 
might  be  in  the  way  of  the  consummation  of  their 
plans. 

"Madame,  we  will  play  the  comedy." 

"Thank  you,  Jeannette,"  was  the  reply,  and  Mrs. 
Wheeler  returned  to  her  room  without  another  word, 
and  locked  the  door.  She  reclined  upon  the  bed 
and  awaited  the  raising  of  the  curtain. 


158  CJje  Spotter. 

Jeannette's  voice  calling  to  her  through  the  door 
was  filled  with  emotion  and  deep  concern.  The  work 
ing  of  the  bent  hairpin  in  the  lock  was  sharp  and 
unpleasant,  and  when  at  last  the  key  fell  out,  her 
heart  beat  more  rapidly  and  sounded  strangely  in  her 
ears.  One  after  another  keys  were  tried  and  thrown 
down  by  the  door  casing,  until  the  right  one  was 
secured  and  the  bolt  turned.  The  door  opened  cau 
tiously;  Jeannette  approached  the  bed,  speaking  in 
frightened  tones.  Then  the  girl's  hand  touched 
madame's  shoulder  with  a  grip  that  brought  pain, 
and  she  felt  herself  shaken  with  violence.  She 
moaned  and  moved  her  arms,  but  did  not  open  her 
eyes  or  answer  her  anxious,  almost  pitiful  demands 
to  awaken.  There  was  a  moment  at  the  stand  and 
the  clink  of  a  glass — a  horrified  exclamation  from 
Jeannette,  and  then  a  rush  of  footsteps  from  tSio 
room  and  through  the  hall. 

Mrs.  Wheeler  arose,  adjusted  her  hat,  and  taking 
her  valise  from  behind  the  door,  left  her  boudoir. 
Passing  through  the  sitting-room,  she  paused  before 
a  mirror  and  smiled  back  at  the  Betsey  Tubbs  she 
saw  reflected  in  the  glass. 


Cfje  Spotter.  159 


CHAPTEK  XVII. 

MONSIEUR'S  UNPLEASANT  FORENOON. 

MONSIEUR  was  engaged  in  reading  his  American 
mail,  which  arrived  that  morning,  and  which  con 
tained  additional  directions  concerning  the  estab 
lishment  of  several  agencies  which  were  well  under 
way.  The  great  aim  of  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing 
and  Eefining  Company  must  be  carried  out  in 
France  as  well  as  elsewhere.  "Absolute  control  of 
the  market"  was  the  watchword,  and  if  opposition 
of  any  nature  presented  itself,  it  must  be  met  and 
conquered  at  the  outset  The  letters  which  he  re 
ceived  did  not  deal  frankly  and  openly  with  the  sub 
ject,  but  in  every  sentence  there  was  a  hidden  mean 
ing,  and  sometimes  monsieur  pondered  long  over 
these  before  he  could  make  them  out  When  he  read, 
"You  may  be  able  to  popularize  our  product  by  induc 
ing  some  men  of  prominence  in  town  and  city  affairs 
to  become  customers,"  he  knew  that  it  authorized 
him  to  pay  officials  for  concessions  that  might  be 
wanted.  Again,  when  he  was  told  to  "take  all  honor 
able  means  to  maintain  the  superiority  of  our  pe- 


160 


troleum  against  inferior  opposition,"  he  realized  that 
he  must  exert  all  the  cunning  of  which  he  was  pos 
sessed  and  exhaust  every  last  resort  to  confound  and 
beat  down  opposition,  no  matter  what  it  cost. 

Written  by  Lanphere's  hand  and  pinned  to  the 
letter  of  instructions  was  this  note: 

"Sam  Edgert  has  been  appointed  guardian  of  the 
C  -  girl?  whose  father  has  not  been  heard  from 
since  his  disappearance.  Edgert's  son,  a  young  law 
yer,  is  said  to  be  very  actively  endeavoring  to  bring 
before  the  courts,  in  the  interests  of  the  minor,  an 
action  in  which  it  is  expected  fraud  and  conspiracy 
will  be  charged  in  the  transfer  of  the  Cameron 
farm." 

Monsieur  did  not  like  this,  and  he  showed  his  aver 
sion  to  it  by  burning  the  note  and  crushing  the  ashes 
under  his  bed.  Immediately  thereafter  he  had  other 
matters  to  think  about,  for  Henri  LeGarde  entered 
the  dingy  little  office  and  bowed  to  monsieur  with 
the  air  of  one  who  has  performed  a  mission  with 
which  he  has  been  entrusted. 

"Monsieur,"  he  said,  "I  have  come  as  agreed,  and 
have  here  an  order  for  the  share  of  the  reward  to 
Jules." 

"Where  is  Jules?  Why  did  he  not  come  in  per 
son?" 

"Ah,  monsieur,  Jules  is  not  as  strong  as  Henri. 
Last  night  there  was  a  bitter  storm  of  rain  and 
sleet.  It  was  required  of  Jules  and  myself  that  we 


Spotter. 

row  a  long  distance  upon  the  Seine,  and  when  the 
journey  was  over  Jules  was  exhausted  by  the  cold. 
He  lies  at  a  small  village  some  distance  from  Paris." 

"I  have  no  means  of  knowing  whether  the  order 
is  genuine  or  not,  I  will  pay  Jules  when  I  see  him." 

Henri's  eyes  contracted  and  he  looked  at  Wheeler 
for  a  full  minute  before  he  spoke. 

"Monsieur  will  pay  me  upon  the  order  of  Jules, 
here  and  now,"  he  said,  slowly.  "Such  service  does 
not  enter  upon  a  ledger  to  be  billed  the  first  day  of 
each  month." 

Wheeler  did  not  like  the  tone  in  which  La  Garde 
said  this  nor  the  look  which  accompanied  it.  He  was 
not  accustomed  to  fear,  but  just  at  this  moment  he 
felt  himself  trembling  with  nervousness. 

"I  meant  no  offence,  LeGarde,"  he  made  haste  to 
say.  "It  was  merely  a  business  precaution,  but  it 
is  of  no  consequence.  Let  me  see  the  order,  please." 

He  unfolded  the  paper  and  instantly  his  eyes  were 
riveted  upon  what  was  there  written.  His  hands 
trembled  until  the  paper  rattled  noisily,  while  over 
his  face  spread  an  ashen  pallor  like  that  upon  one 
who  is  dead.  This  is  what  he  read: 

M.  Eli  Wheeler. — You  will  pay  to  Henri  LeGarde 
the  sum  of  ten  thousand  francs  on  my  account. 
Failure  to  do  so  will  make  it  necessary  for  me  to 
return  to  Paris  accompanied  by  M.  Cameron. 

Jules  LeGarde. 


162  C6e  Spotter; 

"Damn  you !  it  is  blackmail !"  said  Wheeler  as  he 
sprang  upon  the  Frenchman.  Henri  had  anticipated 
this  move,  and  darting  under  Wheeler's  upraised 
arm,  he  caught  monsieur  around  the  body  with  a 
grasp  that  threatened  to  crush  his  ribs,  and  with  a 
quick  trip  threw  him  backward  upon  the  floor.  With 
one  hand  and  knee  Henri  pinioned  Wheeler's  arms, 
and  with  the  disengaged  hand  drew  a  serviceable 
sheath-knife  from  under  his  coat. 

"Monsieur,"  he  said  savagely,  "not  many  years 
ago  I  saw  service  here  in  Paris  under  a  noted  leader 
in  the  Commune.  I  have  cut  many  a  man's  throat 
for  less  than  this  which  you  have  done,  and  I  have 
not  forgotten  the  trick.  I  can  do  it  again,  monsieur ; 
very  neatly  and  quietly." 

Wheeler  realized  his  great  peril.  He  saw  too  that 
in  his  anxiety  to  be  rid  of  Cameron  he  had  failed 
in  his  estimate  of  these  villains  and  thus  committed 
a  fatal  error.  They  were  not  as  dull  as  they  appeared, 
and  when  once  away  from  him  had  revived  Cameron, 
secured  his  name  and  learned  the  advantage  they 
held  in  keeping  the  Scotchman  alive.  How  much 
of  his  history  they  possessed,  Wheeler  could  not  guess, 
but  it  was  plain  that  they  knew  something  which  he 
hoped  to  guard.  Now  they  must  be  silenced  and 
Cameron  must  be  disposed  of,  no  matter  at  what 
cost  There  was  a  dangerous  look  in  LeGarde's  eyes 
and  Wheeler  had  little  doubt  that  the  man  would 
scarcely  hesitate  over  carrying  his  threat  into  exe- 


C&e 

cution  and  trust  to  getting  his  pay  from  the  open 
safe. 

"Let  me  up,"  he  said  after  a  moment's  thought. 
"It  is  bad  enough  to  be  robbed  without  adding  to 
it  murder.  I  will  pay." 

"I  have  believed  monsieur  to  be  a  man  of  wisdom, 
now  I  am  convinced  of  it,"  said  LeGarde,  rising. 

"The  sum  you  demand  may  not  be  at  hand,  though 
I  have  kept  some  notes  to  use  in  emergency,"  re 
marked  Wheeler  as  calmly  as  though  concluding  an 
ordinary  business  transaction.  He  opened  the  cash 
drawer  of  the  safe  and  counted  the  notes  into  an 
orderly  bundle.  Standing  within  easy  distance,  Le 
Garde  saw  that  monsieur  had  by  no  means  exhausted 
his  store,  and  for  an  instant  the  Frenchman's  hand 
clasped  the  handle  of  his  knife  and  a  flash  of  regret 
that  he  had  not  used  the  instrument  came  upon  him. 

"Write  a  receipt,"  said  Wheeler  pointing  to  the 
table. 

"I  am  not  a  child,  monsieur.  Lay  the  notes  in 
my  hand  and  with  them  the  order  from  Jules.  No 
writing  need  pass  between  gentlemen  who  under 
stand  each  other." 

Wheeler  bit  his  lip  in  perplexity.  He  had  no 
weapon  of  defence,  he  did  not  have  the  strength 
to  cope  with  LeGarde,  and  it  would  do  him  no  good 
to  cry  out,  for  the  room  in  which  they  were  stand 
ing  was  the  only  one  which  was  occupied  in  that 
corridor.  Clearly  he  was  at  great  disadvantage,  and 


164  Cfje 

could  only  comply  with  the  demand.  He  waited 
long  enough  to  swing  the  door  of  the  safe  shut  and 
turn  the  knob.  Then  he  surrendered  the  money  and 
the  order  demanding  it. 

"We  will  not  quarrel,  LeGarde,  for  it  would  be 
of  advantage  to  neither.  Besides,  I  am  inclined  to 
be  liberal  with  you.  There  is  somthing  at  stake,  but 
not  nearly  as  much  as  you  may  think,  and  perhaps 
the  best  way  is  for  us  to  come  to  an  understanding 
at  once.  Just  what  do  you  and  Jules  propose  ?" 

"We  have  not  considered  it  fully,  monsieur,  for 
there  has  been  little  time  for  consultation.  We  have 
in  our  hands  a  gentleman  whom  monsieur,  for  rea 
sons  best  known  to  himself,  greatly  fears.  This  gen 
tleman  may  as  ardently  wish  to  live  as  monsieur 
wishes  him  to  die,  and  in  that  event  it  is  merely  a 
question  as  to  which  one  will  pay  best." 

"He  has  nothing  to  pay  with,"  Wheeler  inter 
rupted. 

"Ah,  but  he  must  have  friends,  monsieur,  for 
he  has  not  the  appearance  of  one  who  is  entirely  with 
out  them." 

"Has  he  told  you  this  ?" 

"Monsieur  will  pardon  me  if  I  do  not  answer 
his  question,  as  I  am  not  the  bearer  of  messages  be 
tween  monsieur  and  his  enemy.  Let  monsieur  say 
what  he  desires  done  and  what  he  is  willing  to  pay 
those  who  may  do  it  for  him.  Then  we  will  con 
sider." 


C&e  Spotter,  165 


LeGarde  was  not  entirely  sure  of  his  ground.  Tip 
to  the  time  he  left  Jules  and  Cameron,  the  latter 
had  not  returned  to  consciousness  and  had  mumbled 
but  few  intelligent  words.  They  rifled  his  pockets 
and  in  them  found  a  memorandum  book  bearing 
Cameron's  name  and  address  and  numerous  papers 
which  they  were  not  able  or  had  not  the  time  to 
translate,  but  which  evidently  were  statements  of 
accounts  with  one  Eli  Wheeler  in  some  affair  of 
co-partnership.  They  jumped  at  the  conclusion  that 
Wheeler  had  swindled  the  unconscious  man  out  of  a 
large  sum  of  money;  so  while  Jules  remained  in 
charge  of  Cameron  at  the  house  of  Gaspard,  a  former 
physician  who  through  fear  had  been  driven  out 
of  Paris  after  the  failure  of  the  Commune  in  1871, 
Henri  returned  to  the  city  to  make  the  demand  upon 
Wheeler  for  ten  thousand  francs  and  at  the  same 
time  to  pick  up  possible  information  that  might  aid 
them  in  securing  greater  reward.  At  this  moment 
he  was  anxious  to  return  to  Mantes,  expecting  to  find 
Cameron  fully  restored.  From  him  he  believed  the 
whole  story  might  be  extracted  and  then  Wheeler 
would  be  entirely  at  their  mercy. 

An  interruption  at  this  moment  prevented  the 
execution  of  the  plan,  and  for  the  time  drove  from 
Wheeler's  thoughts  all  consideration  of  Duncan 
Cameron.  A  hurried  footstep  came  to  the  door  and 
a  sharp,  impatient  rap  followed.  Wheeler  bowed  to 
Henri,  who  stepped  forward  and  opened  the  door 


166  c&e  Spotter, 

upon  a  messenger.  The  man  entered  and  presented 
to  "M.  White"  the  envelope  which  bore  his  name. 
Instinctively,  Wheeler  felt  that  it  brought  him  news 
of  an  unpleasant  nature,  and  he  tore  the  envelope 
open  with  trembling  hands.  His  eyes  fell  upon  the 
single  line — 

"Come  quickly.    Madame  has  taken  poison. 

"Jeannette." 

"Curse  the  damned  idiot!"  he  shouted  as  he 
dashed  toward  the  door.  "Quick,  LeGarde — get  a  car 
riage,"  and  he  flung  money  at  the  messenger  as  he 
pushed  the  man  into  the  hall  and  slammed  the  door 
behind  him.  "Run,  damn  you,  for  a  carriage! — a 
carriage  with  horses  that  can  canter  like  hell  itself." 

He  went  down  the  stairway  three  steps  at  a  time, 
and  plunged,  bareheaded,  into  the  street.  LeGarde 
and  the  messenger  followed  as  rapidly  as  they  could, 
and  at  the  curb  came  upon  Wheeler,  waving  his  arms 
and  shouting  for  a  carriage.  LeGarde  silenced  him 
with  a  word,  and  clutching  him  by  the  arm  led  him 
to  the  corner  where  he  signaled  to  a  coupe  and  thrust 
the  frenzied  man  inside. 

"The  address,  monsieur?" 

"To  my  apartments  by  the  nearest  route  and  quick 
est  possible  time." 

LeGarde  gave  the  directions  to  the  driver  with 
the  promise  of  an  extra  reward  should  he  make  rapid 
time,  and  stepped  into  the  coupe. 

"What  has  happened,  monsieur?" 


Spotter*  ier 

Wheeler  handed  him  Jeannette's  message.  As 
LeGarde  read  it,  the  perspiration  started  upon  his 
forehead. 

"This  is  bad,  monsieur." 

Wheeler  nodded  and  shouted  to  the  driver  to  make 
better  speed. 

"It  means  the  police — official  investigation." 

"I  know — I  know !  The  shallow-pated  fool ! 
Where  did  she  get  poison?  Who  thought  old  Jim 
Tubbs's  daughter  would  ever  e-are  enough  about  any 
thing  to  take  her  own  life  ?  On  on !"  to  the  driver, 
"a  thousand  francs  if  you  will  double  your  pace." 

He  was  leaning  out  of  the  door  in  his  eagerness, 
and  LeGarde  with  much  difficulty  succeeded  in  pull 
ing  him  back  into  the  carriage  and  pressing  him 
down  upon  the  seat. 

"Mousieur,  monsieur,  you  must  be  calm!  If 
madame  should  die,  there  will  be  necessity  for  the 
full  possession  of  all  your  senses." 

Wheeler  sank  passively  upon  the  cushions  and 
looked  gloomily  upon  the  streets  through  which  they 
were  rapidly  whirling. 

"Imbecile!"  he  muttered  half -aloud,  "why  did 
I  ever  hamper  myself  with  this  woman?" 


168  c&e  ^potter* 


CHAPTEK  XVIII. 

JEANNETTE  PLATS  HEK  PAKT. 

THE  carriage  scarcely  came  to  a  stop  in  front  of 
the  building  in  which  Wheeler's  apartments  were 
located  before  he  sprang  from  the  step  ana  Hurried 
up  the  stairway.  LeGarde  bade  the  coacnman  wait 
his  return  and  ran  after  monsieur  with  the  agility 
of  a  cat.  They  came  to  the  landing  together  and 
pushed  through  the  door. 

Jeannette,  wild  and  disheveled,  was  pacing  the 
floor,  her  hands  clasped  across  her  bosom  and  with 
every  appearance  of  great  mental  distress. 

"Where  is  she?"  asked  Wheeler,  glancing  appre 
hensively  about  the  room. 

"Oh,  monsieur,  madame,  the  poor  lady,  is  gone!" 
said  the  girl  with  a  sob. 

"Dead !"  and  Wheeler  grasped  the  back  of  a  chair 
to  keep  from  falling.  "Speak,  Jeannette,  is  she 
dead  ?"  His  voice  was  little  more  than  a  whisper. 

"No,  monsieur,  she  is  not  dead — she  has  disap 
peared." 

He  stared  at  the  girl  as  one  who  hears  but  does 


Cjje  ^potter,  169 

not  understand.  She  bowed  before  him  and  wrung 
her  hands  in  anguish. 

"What  does  this  mean,  Jeannette  ?"  said  monsieur 
at  last  "You  send  me  a  message  telUng  me  to  come 
quickly  as  madame  has  taken  poison;  and  when  T 
come  you  meet  me  with  the  statement  that  madame 
has  disappeared.  Where  is  she — what  is  this  story 
about  poison  ?" 

"I  do  not  know,  monsieur,  indeed  I  do  not  know. 
It  was  true  as  I  said,  but  now  it  is  no  longer  so,  for 
it  is  all  a  mystery.  Oh,  I  do  not  know,  monsieur;  I 
do  not  know." 

She  was  greatly  agitated  and  ran  about  the  room 
in  an  aimless  and  confused  manner.  Henri  caught 
her  roughly  by  the  arm  and  thrust  her  violently 
against  the  wall.  "Leave  off  this  dribble,"  he  com 
manded  angrily,  "and  tell  monsieur  everything  that 
has  happened  since  he  left  you  here  to  care  for 
madame.  Tell  him  all,  I  say,  or  your  pretty  throat 
will  feel  something  rougher  than  a  velvet  ribbon!" 

Jeannette  winced  with  pain  and  cowed  in  fear  be 
fore  the  man.  She  attempted  to  speak,  but  a  sob 
choked  back  her  words.  Her  cousin  raised  his  hand 
as  if  to  strike,  but  Wheeler  caught  the  upraised  arm 
and  pushed  the  man  aside. 

"Let  her  alone,  for  she  is  already  too  frightened 
to  speak."  Turning  to  the  girl  he  assured  her  that 
she  would  not  be  harmed,  and  asked  her  to  tell  her 
story  freely. 

"It  was  this  way,  monsieur,"  she  said  after  a 


170  Cfje  Spotter, 

moment's  thought.  She  had  not  counted  on  the 
presence  of  Henri  when  she  agreed  with  madame, 
and  the  appearance  of  her  masterful  lover  nearly  cost 
her  all  her  self-control. 

"Though  I  listened  a  long  time  after  you  went 
from  the  house,  I  could  hear  no  sound  in  madame's 
room,  and  there  was  no  answer  when  I  called  to  her. 
I  became  frightened  and  struck  upon  the  door,  but 
still  there  was  no  answer.  Then  a  greater  fear  came 
upon  me,  and  I  thought  madame  was  dead." 

Jeannette  was  gaining  confidence  now.  She  arose 
from  the  chair  into  which  she  had  sunk  from  weak 
ness,  and  with  broken  sentences  and  quick,  nervous 
action  explained  how  she  had  gained  access  to 
madame's  room.  She  was  down  on  her  knees  before 
the  door  working  at  the  lock;  she  ran  to  and  from 
the  other  doors  as  she  had  done  when  trying  their 
keys;  she  led  them  to  the  boudoir,  pointing  out  the 
squares  of  paper  which  had  wrapped  the  morphia 
powders,  and  the  bitter  dregs  of  wine  in  the  glass; 
she  caught  the  counterpane  in  her  hands  and  illus 
trated  how  the  attempt  had  been  made  to  arouse 
the  apparently  unconscious  woman,  who  only  moaned 
when  shaken;  she  tasted  again  the  morphia  in  the 
glass,  sat  the  fragile  vessel  down  with  horror  on 
her  face.  "Breathless  I  ran  to  the  telegraph  office, 
monsieur,  and  sent  the  message  which  you  have.  T 
did  not  know  what  other  course  to  take — madame 
dead  or  unconscious  here  upon  the  bed,  you  should 


Cfie  Spotter,  in 


be  notified.  I  scarcely  could  write  the  words  —  to  the 
clerk  I  could  gasp  but  the  one  word,  'haste  !'  I  ran 
back  here,  monsieur,  not  caring  that  they  stared  in 
wonder  at  me  on  the  streets,  and  I  was  absent  but 
a  few  minutes.  I  came  with  throbbing  heart  to 
madame's  room  —  she  was  not  here  !  She  was  not 
there,  or  there,  or  there,  or  anywhere  !  I  searched 
each  nook  —  I  went  to  the  street  —  I  asked  some  per 
sons  in  the  stairway  who  might  have  seen  her.  There 
was  no  trace. 

"Then  I  came  back  and  waited  —  hours,  it  seems, 
monsieur  —  waited  until  you  came." 

The  girl  sank  exhausted  upon  the  floor  and  buried 
her  face  in  her  hands.  Henri  looked  at  her  with 
a  half-concealed  smile  of  admiration,  but  Wheeler 
gazed  upon  the  sobbing  figure  with  a  look  of  blank 
and  helpless  pity.  He  moved  mechanically  about  the 
apartment,  examined  the  papers  on  the  stand  as 
though  something  about  the  bits  of  tissue  would  give 
him  a  clue;  lifted  the  glass  and  cautiously  touched 
the  powder  with  the  tips  of  his  fingers.  His  eyes 
wandered  from  one  object  to  another,  without  com 
prehending  what  he  saw.  He  was  dazed,  mystified, 
overwhelmed  with  the  turn  affairs  had  taken.  In  all 
his  life,  Eli  Wheeler  had  never  been  so  completely 
baffled  as  at  this  moment.  By  slow  degrees  his  mind 
began  to  work,  and  then,  soon,  he  saw  the  danger 
that  might  come  to  himself  and  the  monstrous  cor 
poration  which  he  served  with  so  great  fidelity  if 


172  cfje  Spotter, 

his  wife  should  succeed  in  making  her  way  back  to 
America.  There  was  no  other  thought  for  her — of 
the  dangers  which  might  beset  an  inexperienced, 
friendless  and  penniless  woman  in  the  great  city.  He 
feared  for  himself  only,  and  this  fear  brought  action. 

"It  was  clever,"  he  said,  "very  clever,  and  I 
almost  admire  her  for  it.  We  must  have  her  back, 
LeGarde.  Such  a  woman,  running  at  large,  may  be 
dangerous.  We  must  find  madame  before  the  day 
passes;  but  that  should  not  be  difficult,  for  she 
knows  little  of  Paris,  and  doubtless  is  now  within 
a  couple  of  blocks  of  her  home,  confused  and  await 
ing  capture.  Shall  we  ask  the  assistance  of  the 
police  2" 

LeGarde  shook  his  head.  "It  is  better  not, 
monsieur,  if  there  is  anything  madame  may  tell 
which  you  do  not  wish  known.  The  officers  ask  many 
questions." 

"I  know — I  know.  You  think  that  she  may  be 
angry  and  would  make  unpleasant  charges.  Perhaps 
it  is  so.  But  what  shall  we  do  ?  Surely  we  cannot 
search  Paris  alone." 

"No,  monsieur,  for  while  doing  so  there  would  be 
time  for  many  things  to  happen.  There  is  another 
way  as  sure,  but  much  less  hazardous  than  through 
official  channels." 

"And  that,  I  suppose,  is  by  the  aid  of  those  who 
were  with  you  in  the  Commune  ?" 

"I  have  many  friends,  monsieur,"  said  LeGarde, 


Cfje  ^pottet*  173 


slightly  coloring,  "whose  business  is  to  see  and  know 
what  is  going  on  in  Paris.  They  are  both  men  and 
women  who  have  common  interests  at  stake  and  who 
help  each  other  in  time  of  need  in  more  ways  than 
I  care  to  tell  or  monsieur  would  desire  to  hear." 

"Would  it  not  be  a  risk  to  set  this  rabble  on  her 
track  ?" 

"It  is  not  a  mob,  as  monsieur  thinks,  but  here  a 
man  who  is  a  shop-keeper,  or  his  servant;  there  a 
waiter  or  a  valet;  a  maid  in  some  mansion,  an  advo 
cate's  clerk;  one  in  the  government  service,  another 
who  may  be  the  driver  of  a  coupe  or  coachman  for 
the  nobility;  thousands  who  may  live  as  do  I,  upon 
their  wits,  and  in  performing  service  for  those  who 
may  have  unpleasant  but  necessary  tasks  for  which 
they  are  willing  to  pay." 

"Myself  for  instance." 

"It  is  true,  monsieur.  It  is  necessary  here  in 
France  that  this  should  be  so,  for  the  people  bear 
many  burdens  and  wrongs  at  the  hands  of  those  who 
rule.  If  they  were  not  linked  together  as  I  have 
said,  their  troubles  would  be  greatly  multiplied." 

"You  think  this  —  well,  this  freemasonry  of  com 
mon  sufferers  —  could  find  madame  ?" 

"I  am  certain,  monsieur,  that  it  can  be  done,  and 
without  publicity." 

"How  soon?" 

LeGarde  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "In  an  hour, 
monsieur,  or  in  a  day;  or  in  any  hour  of  a  day  in 


174  C!)e  Spotter* 

a  week.  I  cannot  tell  which  one.  Madame  is  not 
the  child  you  have  supposed.  She  has  shown  it 
here." 

Wheeler  nodded.  "You  want  money.  How 
much  ?" 

LeGarde  hesitated.  If  he  knew  only  a  little  more 
of  the  history  of  monsieur! 

"Fifty  thousand  francs,"  he  ventured. 

"Damn  you,  LeGarde,  it  is  robbery!  Ten  thou 
sand  dollars  for  what  you  may  accomplish  in  an 
hour !  I  won't  pay  it.  Why,  you  may  walk  to  the 
next  corner  and  run  plump  into  madame,  returning 
of  her  own  will." 

LeGarde  took  an  unfolded  sheet  of  paper  from 
the  dresser,  where  it  had  lain  unobserved  by  either 
Wheeler  or  Jeannette.  He  did  not  know  what 
was  written  upon  the  paper,  but  he  made  a  shrewd 
guess  that  it  was  some  message  from  the  missing 
woman,  and  he  believed  that  it  might  aid  him  in  con 
cluding  the  bargain  for  the  search.  Wheeler  caught 
the  paper  from  LeGarde's  hand  and  saw  written 
these  words: 

"I  have  done  as  you  told  me,  but  not  to  follow 
your  advice  as  to  the  future.  I  do  not  know  how, 
but  if  you  have  not  killed  Duncan  Cameron  I  shall 
find  him  and  help  him  to  escape.  With  your  words 
ringing  in  my  ears,  and  with  your  villainy  all  ex 
posed  before  me,  I  have  thought  it  out  and  see  my 
duty." 


Cfte  ^potter,  175 

Monsieur  crumpled  the  paper  in  his  fist  and  then 
tore  it  to  bits.  "Find  her,"  he  shouted  in  rage.  "Set 
your  thieves  and  cut-throats  upon  her  track  and  bring 
her  to  this  room.  The  money  will  be  yours." 

"Jeannette  is  the  witness,"  said  LeGarde. 

"Yes,  Jeannette  is  the  witness,  if  you  wish  one. 
She  remains  here  where  she  may  be  found." 

"She  goes  with  me,"  said  LeGarde  with  decision. 
"There  is  work  for  her." 

In  a  few  moments  they  left  the  apartments  and 
Henri  motioned  Jeannette  to  enter  the  coupe,  which 
was  waiting.  He  gave  the  driver  an  address  and 
then  took  a  seat  in  the  carriage. 

"Where  is  she  ?"  he  asked  of  the  trembling  woman 
as  soon  as  the  carriage  started. 

"I  do  not  know,  Henri — as  God  is  my  judge,  I 
swear " 

"Pouf !  Will  you  never  forget  your  lessons  in  the 
convent  ?  You  can't  lie  to  me  as  you  lied  to  monsieur. 
I  saw  the  deception  in  a  moment;  but  he,  the  fool, 
did  not  think  that  pretty,  innocent  Jeannette  was 
so  great  an  actress.  Where  is  madame?" 

"Ah,  Henri,  I  cannot  tell — I  do  not  know.  As 
I  love  you,  Henri,  better  than  my  life,  I  am  telling 
the  truth.  I  did  lie  to  monsieur.  I  let  madame 
escape,  though  the  plan  was  hers,  so  that  I  should 
not  be  suspected.  I  did  not  intend  to  keep  it  from 
you,  Henri,  for  have  I  not  ever  told  you  all?" 


176  C6e 

He  looked  at  her  steadily,  but  saw  in  her  coun 
tenance  no  trace  of  deception. 

"Then  if  you  do  not  know  where  she  is,  monsieur's 
reward  may  not  be  so  easily  earned,"  he  said  at  last. 
"It  might  have  been  wiser  to  have  demanded  a  por 
tion  in  advance." 


Cfte  Spotter,  ITT 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

OLD   FEIENDS   IN    A   STEANGE   PLACE. 

AMONG  the  studies  which  Mrs.  Wheeler  pursued 
was  that  of  Paris.  For  several  months  each  day  she 
went  carefully  over  sections  of  a  small  map  which 
she  had  bought  at  a  bookstall,  and  with  such  de 
scriptions  as  Jeannette  readily  gave  her,  she  became 
familiar  with  the  general  topography  of  the  city. 
Moreover,  she  had  been  most  observant  while  upon 
those  frequent  walks  with  her  companion,  and  so 
when  she  tripped  away  from  the  door  leading  to  their 
apartments  there  was  neither  indecision  nor  delay 
in  choosing  the  course  she  should  take.  She  felt 
quite  sure  of  herself,  and  although  for  the  first  time 
in  her  life  she  was  without  an  escort  in  the  crowded 
streets  of  a  city,  she  did  not  permit  her  self-posses 
sion  to  waver  for  a  moment. 

"The  first  and  most  important  thing  is  to  get  some 
breakfast,"  she  thought,  "for  I  am  nearly  famished." 

With  this  sensible  object  in  view,  Mrs.  Wheeler 
passed  through  several  sections  of  streets  until  she 
came  to  a  respectable  restaurant,  in  the  window  of 


ITS  c&e  Spotter, 

which  there  was  a  sign  to  the  effect  that  English 
was  spoken  within.  It  was  not  good  English,  to  be 
sure,  but  it  served  her  purpose,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
she  was  enjoying  a  substantial  and  appetizing  meal, 
of  which  she  ate  with  increasing  courage. 

When  her  bill  was  settled,  she  asked  the  waiter 
to  order  a  coupe  and  to  direct  the  driver  to  take  her 
immediately  to  the  American  legation.  "I  have  be 
come  separated  from  my  party,"  she  explained  with 
out  a  twinge  of  conscience  over  the  slight  deception, 
''and  as  I  know  little  of  Paris  and  less  of  the  French 
language,  I  am  under  the  necessity  of  seeking  those 
who  may  best  direct  me." 

"Ah,  if  madame  will — ah — inform  where  she  has 
been  stopping,  we  will  direct  that  she  be  returned 
without  necessity  of  the  visit  to  the  Legation,"  said 
the  cashier,  coming  forward  from  his  desk  and  bow 
ing  before  her  most  politely. 

"No,  it  is  best  that  I  go  first  to  the  Legation,"  she 
replied.  "I  will  soonest  find  my  friends  in  that 
way." 

A  franc  from  her  little  store  was  added  to  the  sum 
paid  for  breakfast,  and  the  waiter  hurried  out  to 
return  shortly  with  the  information  that  her  carriage 
was  in  waiting.  Mrs.  Wheeler  thanked  him  and  in 
a  moment  was  whirling  away  in  quite  an  elegant 
equipage  toward  her  destination. 

As  they  approached  the  business  section  of  the  city 
she  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  carriage  dashing  past  in 


Spotter.  179 

the  opposite  direction.  A  white-faced,  bare-headed 
man  leaned  from  the  half-open  door  urging  upon  the 
driver  greater  speed.  She  shrank  back  upon  the 
cushions  in  terror  and  for  several  minutes  was  almost 
unnerved  by  the  brief  vision  she  had  caught  of  her 
husband.  Then  the  humor  of  the  situation  came  to 
her,  and  had  the  rumble  of  her  carriage  upon  the 
pavement  been  stilled,  the  driver  must  have  heard 
a  hearty  and  not  unmusical  peal  of  laughter. 

"Ah,  Jeannette  has  sent  her  message,  and  it  has 
been  received,"  she  said  with  evident  pleasure.  "As 
dear  old  dad  would  say,  'go  it,  Wheeler,  you  have 
got  a  bad  spell  of  weather  before  ye,  and  no  one's 
going  to  lend  ye  an  umbrel'." 

The  ride  was  one  of  considerable  length,  but  it 
gave  her  time  for  reflection.  So  far,  her  plan  had 
been  successful,  and  some  encouragement  was  to  be 
found  in  this.  She  knew  that  she  was  passing 
through  an  entirely  new  section  of  Paris,  and  that 
she  was  each  moment  going  farther  away  from  her 
home,  and  though  Jeannette  had  told  her  wonderful 
stories  of  the  ability  of  the  Paris  police  to  solve  any 
mystery,  nevertheless,  Mrs.  Wheeler  felt  that  some 
time  must  elapse  before  they  would  be  npon  her 
track,  should  her  husband  determine  to  take  that 
course.  Until  he  had  exhausted  other  methods  of 
discovering  her,  she  believed  he  would  be  reluctant 
to  call  upon  the  authorities.  There  was  no  reason 
to  expect  that  he  would  make  inquiries  at  the  Lega- 


180  Cije  Spotter* 

tion,  as  He  was  not  aware  that  she  knew  of  its  exist 
ence.  By  the  merest  chance  she  some  months  previ 
ously  had  come  upon  a  magazine  article  describing 
the  embassy.  This  she  read  and  re-read  until  the 
place  became  to  her  like  a  fabled  city  of  refuge,  at 
the  gates  of  which  she  need  only  knock  to  receive 
protection.  She  recalled,  too,  that  some  years  before, 
when  Mr.  Cameron  was  endeavoring  to  instil  a  little 
knowledge  of  the  world  into  the  neighborhood  where 
they  lived,  he  once  described  at  an  evening  meeting 
how  the  government  was  represented  abroad,  and  one 
of  the  duties  which  he  ascribed  to  the  Minister  was 
to  protect  citizens  of  the  United  States  who  might 
come  to  him  in  trouble.  This  all  came  back  to  her 
when  she  read  about  the  Legation,  and  she  enter 
tained  no  doubt  that  this  was  the  one  place  in  Paris 
to  which  an  American  woman  should  go  when  in 
distress. 

So  Mrs.  Wheeler  came  to  the  Rue  de  Villijust  with 
confidence,  and  when  the  carriage  stopped  in  front 
of  the  building  and  she  saw  the  flag — like  none  other 
that  she  had  seen  since,  the  day  she  bade  a  careless 
farewell  to  her  mother — it  was  but  natural  that  she 
should  feel  that  her  freedom  was  near  at  hand. 

There  was  a  long  half-hour  of  waiting,  during 
which  she  went  for  the  hundreth  time  over  the  story 
she  would  tell,  and  then  Mrs.  Wheeler  was  ushered 
into  a  pleasant  office  in  which  a  number  of 
were  engage'd  at  their  various  duties. 


C&e  Spotter,  isi 

To  the  secretary  who  received  her,  Mrs.  Wheeler 
requested  an  audience  with  the  Minister,  saying 
with  no  small  diffidence  that  she  was  an  American 
lady  in  trouble  who  greatly  desired  some  assistance 
in  communicating  with  friends  at  home. 

The  young  man  explained  that  his  chief  was  at 
that  moment  engaged  upon  matters  of  great  im 
portance  and  might  not  be  at  liberty  during  the 
afternoon.  If  madame  would  fully  make  known  her 
errand,  it  could  be  taken  up  by  some  of  the  sub 
ordinates  with  entire  satisfaction.  Otherwise,  she 
might  give  her  name  and  a  message  of  a  few  words 
which  would  possess  the  Minister  of  the  importance 
of  her  visit,  and  then  wait ;  he  would  see  what  might 
be  done. 

He  took  a  card  from  the  desk,  and  madame  wrote 
upon  it — "Mrs.  Wheeler,  upon  a  matter  of  life  or 
death  to  a  fellow  countryman." 

Madame  was  shown  to  an  anteroom  opening  from 
the  office,  and  here  took  her  place  with  a  number 
of  others,  and  vaited.  Occasionally  a  door  opened 
to  rooms  beyond  and  a  messenger  stepped  out  and 
called  the  name  of  one  of  those  ahead  of  her.  Mrs. 
Wheeler  was  engaged  in  calculating  the  probable 
errand  of  each  and  in  wondering  how  long  it  would 
take  to  tell  the  story  she  had  mapped  out,  when  she 
heard  the  rather  loud  tones  of  a  familiar  voice,  just 
outside  the  archway  in  the  office  she  had  recently 
quitted. 


182  C&e 

"I  tell  you  it  is  the  only  place  in  the  city  where  I 
feel  at  home,"  said  the  speaker,  "and  that's  because 
the  people  around  here  talk  plain  United  States." 

"But  we  are  here  and  ain't  got  much  time  to  stay/' 
was  the  reply  in  another  strangely  familiar  voice; 
"and  so  we  ought  to  see  everything  we  can." 

"I've  seen  all  I  care  to  of  pictures,  and  artists 
and  studios,  and  carvings,  and  bronzes,  and  Catholic 
churches,  and  palaces  and  gardens  where  they  don't 
grow  nothing  but  flowers;  and  I'm  gol  dum  tired 
of  hearing  nothing  but  polly  vouz  from  morning  till 
night,  and  of  having  these  old  grinning,  bobbing 
Trenchers  constantly  holding  out  their  hands  for 
franc  pieces  every  time  I  turn  around." 

Mrs.  Wheeler  rubbed  her  eyes  vigorously  to  make 
sure  that  she  was  awake.  She  rose,  staggering  from 
her  chair  and  tottered  to  the  entrance;  stood  an 
instant,  swaying  upon  the  threshold,  and  then  stum 
bled  forward  with  outstretched  hands. 

"Mr.  Fisher!"  she  said,  as  a  child  might  cry  to 
its  father. 

"My  God !  it's  Betsey  Tubbs !"  ejaculated  the  little 
bald-headed  old  gentleman  who  had  been  talking,  as 
he  leaped  forward  in  time  to  catch  the  young  woman 
in  his  arms  and  keep  her  from  falling  to  the  floor. 

"Betsey!"  cried  Mrs.  Fisher,  coming  forward  to 
lend  aid  to  her  husband.  "Why,  mercy,  mercy,  child 
— how — why,  you  poor  dear — there,  don't  faint — 
goodness,  goodness  she's  gone!  Quick,  Arad,  find 


Ci)e  Spotter*  iss 

a  place  for  her  to  lie  down."  And  for  the  moment 
Mrs.  Fisher  took  affairs  of  state  in  her  own  hands 
and  directed  the  disposition  of  the  insensible  woman. 

Betsey  was  conveyed  to  a  retiring  room  and  in  a 
short  time,  through  the  ministrations  of  the  motherly 
woman  at  her  side,  came  to  herself. 

"I  couldn't  help  it,"  she  said  apologetically  as  she 
kissed  Mrs.  Fisher's  hands.  "I  didn't  mean  to ;  but 
I  just  couldn't  help  it." 

"Of  course,  you  couldn't,  dear.  I  came  pretty 
near  fainting  myself,  when  I  looked  up  and  saw  you 
standing  there." 

"Thunder  out  of  a  clear  sky  ain't  to  be  compared 
to  it,"  said  Mr.  Fisher,  who  had  been  explaining 
to  the  polite  young  secretary  that  the  lady  was  "a. 
little  girl  who  used  to  live  neighbor  to  us  in  the  oil 
country."  "I  wouldn't  have  been  more  surprised 
to  have  seen  poor  Duncan  Cameron  coming  toward 
us." 

Mrs.  Wheeler's  face  clouded  with  a  loot  of 
anxiety.  "Mr.  Cameron  is  in  Paris,"  she  said. 

"Cameron!  Cameron  here  in  Paris?  Why,  every 
body  at  home  believes  he  is  dead." 

She  shook  her  head.  "£To,  Mr.  Fisher,  Cameron 
was  here  yesterday,  and  alive.  He  may  be  dead 
to-day." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  looked  at  each  other,  dumb 
founded. 

"Was  he— sick  ?" 


184  Cfte  Spotter, 

"No  •  I  am  afraid  that  he  has  been  murdered.  That 
was  what  brought  me  here.  I  was  waiting  to  see  the 
Minister." 

"Cameron  murdered!"  said  Mr.  Fisher  in  a 
hushed  voice,  "and  by  these  dum  polly  vouz 
Frenchers?  Why,  Betsey,  tell  me  all  you  know 
about  it.  There  must  be  something  we  can  do." 

With  little  detail,  and  without  apology  or  extenua 
tion  for  her  own  course  in  the  past,  Mrs.  Wheeler 
related  the  facts  that  gave  her  so  great  fear  as  to 
Cameron's  fate.  Mr.  Fisher  interrupted  her  with  a 
few  questions  to  the  point,  and  with  numerous  mild 
oaths,  for  which  he  was  duly  reproved  by  Mrs. 
Fisher.  Then,  when  it  was  finished,  he  declared  that 
they  must  see  the  Minister  at  once,  even  if  they  were 
compelled  "to  push  the  doorkeeper  one  side  and  break 
in  on  a  diplomatic  confab."  He  believed  that  there 
was  no  time  to  lose,  if,  indeed  it  was  not  already 
too  late. 


Cfje  Spotter*  iss 


CHAPTER  XX. 

MB.   TUBES  RECEIVES  A  I/ETTEB. 

ARAB  FISHER  was  a  man  of  some  standing  at  the 
American  Legation.  He  had  arrived  there  with  Mrs. 
Fisher  several  days  prior  to  the  one  upon  which 
they  had  so  opportunely  met  Mrs.  Wheeler,  and 
announced  that  they  had  been  travelling  in  the 
British  Isles  and  were  intending  to  spend  some  weeks 
in  Paris  before  sailing  for  home.  Mr.  Fisher  carried 
letters  of  introduction  from  several  prominent 
Americans,  including  one  from  the  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania.  He  had  a  familiar  way  of  making 
himself  at  home  while  in  the  Legation  buildings  or 
upon  the  grounds,  betraying  a  sense  of  co-partnership 
in  this  one  little  spot  over  which  the  flag  of  his 
country  floated.  Every  day  he  visited  the  Legation 
"to  get  some  of  the  French  out  of  his  ears  and  mouth, 
and  to  be  where  everything  wasn't  polly  vouz,"  he 
said.  His  open  contempt  for  those  who  could  not 
"talk  United  States,"  and  his  homely  recitals  of 
some  of  his  experiences  in  ordering  his  meals,  going 
from  one  place  to  another,  and  securing  information 


186 


generally,  were  most  amusing  to  the  clerks  in  the 
Legation  and  brought  back  to  some  of  them  visions 
of  scenes  and  characters  with  which  they  had  been 
most  familiar  in  the  past.  Mrs.  Fisher,  who  was  the 
constant  companion  of  her  husband,  sometimes 
remonstrated,  hinting  that  the  gentlemen  would 
think  they  had  been  reared  in  the  woods. 

"I  don't  care  a  dum,  Mrs.  Fisher,"  he  replied. 
"The  boys  all  know  that  we  got  our  money  by  selling 
a  mighty  poor  streak  of  land  under  which  there 
happened  to  be  a  vein  of  oil,  for  a  comfortable  pile 
of  cash,  and  after  we  once  got  our  eyes  open,  we 
have  been  sharp  enough  to  hang  on  to  the  money. 
They  know  that  we  ain't  city  raised,  and  what's  the 
use  of  tryin'  to  make  out  that  we  ain't  green  ?  We 
are  just  travelling  around  so  we  can  get  good  and 
tired  of  these  foreigners  and  go  home  contented, 
knowin'  that  there  ain't  no  other  place  in  the  whole 
universe  that's  better  than  the  United  States,  and 
particularly  Pennsylvania." 

Mr.  Fisher  made  his  way  directly  to  the  chief  of 
the  department  and  declared  that  he  must  see  the 
Minister  at  once  upon  a  very  important  matter. 

"I  am  sorry,  Mr.  Fisher,"  was  the  response,  "but 
the  Legation  hours  are  over  for  the  day  and  the 
Minister  is  not  here.  We  simply  were  waiting  to 
close  the  office  until  the  lady  who  fainted  should  be 
well  enough  to  depart" 


Cfje  Spotter*  isr 


"Where  does  the  Minister  live?"  asked  Mr. 
Fisher.  I  will  follow  him." 

"That  would  not  be  possible  to-day,  as  he  has 
gone  to  Versailles  to  attend  an  important  function 
which  could  not  be  ignored." 

Mr.  Fisher  was  annoyed.  He  thought  a  moment 
and  then  said:  "Now,  look  here,  Mr.  Ellis,  this 
ain't  an  ordinary  case.  A  countryman  of  weuns  is 
in  trouble  —  maybe  murdered.  He  came  here  to  find 
a  dum  sneakin'  cuss,  who  is  mean  enough  to  be  a 
Trencher,  and  who  cheated  a  lot  of  good  men  outen 
their  eye-teeth,  including  the  man  who  came  to  find 
him.  He  met  the  coot  on  the  street  and  they  had 
some  words,  and  then  they  went  together  to  a  tavern 
to  talk  it  over  where  the  police  wouldn't  interfere. 
A  Frenchwoman  in  the  service  of  the  swindler  sent 
a  couple  of  cut-throats  to  help  her  master.  Late  in 
the  evening  when  the  swindler  got  home  he  said  the 
other  man  had  started  back  on  his  return  to  America. 
Now,  I  know  the  circumstances  connected  with  the 
whole  transaction  over  home,  and  I  know  that  the 
man  who  was  the  greatest  sufferer  never  started  back 
home  alive  without  satisfaction  from  the  man  who 
ruined  him.  There  has  been  a  murder,  or  else  as 
good  a  man  as  ever  breathed  is  held  a  prisoner." 

"This  is  rather  serious,  Mr.  Fisher." 

"Serious,  Mr.  Ellis,  of  course  it  is.  I  calculate 
that  it  is  about  as  serious  a  piece  of  business  as  has 


188  Ci)e  Spotter, 

come  up  between  France  and  the  United  States  in 
some  time." 

Ellis  picked  up  Mrs.  Wheeler's  card,  which  had 
been  returned  to  him  by  the  usher,  studied  it  a 
moment  and  then  turned  to  Mr.  Fisher. 

"This  swindler,  as  you  call  him,  is  Eli  Wheeler,  is 
he  not?" 

"Yes,  Mr.  Ellis,  that's  the  man.     But — " 

"And  the  man  who  searched  him  out  is  named 
Duncan  Cameron?" 

"Exactly — Duncan  Cameron.  But  how'd  youns 
know  this  ?" 

"I  have  watched  the  case  in  the  American  papers. 
It  is  of  interest  to  me  from  the  fact  that  I  am  an 
Ohio  man  and,  in  common  with  others,  have  been 
deeply  concerned  in  following  the  rise  of  the  Cygnet 
Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company.  That  opera 
tion  of  Wheeler's  with  the  independents  some  two 
or  more  years  ago  was  little  less  than  robbery." 

"And  the  president  of  the  Cygnet  put  it  up." 

"Possibly,  but  like  a  good  many  other  suspected 
things,  it  cannot  be  proven.  How  long  has  Wheeler 
been  in  Paris  ?" 

"Not  a  minute  as  Wheeler,  but  ever  since  he  left 
the  States  as  Cyrus  White,  dealer  in  American  scuri- 
ties  and  promoter  of  the  schemes  of  the  Cygnet." 

Mr.  Ellis  whistled.  "So,  M.  Cyrus  White  is  none 
other  than  Eli  Wheeler?  And  the  lady  who  wrote 


139 

this  message  is  the  girl  who  ran  away  with  him  after 
Wheeler  swindled  her  father  ?" 

"She  didn't  know  it,  Mr.  Ellis.  Don't  blame  her. 
She  was  an  ignorant  country  girl,  who,  like  all  weuns 
when  money  come  to  us  quick  and  easy  all  in  a 
lump,  lost  her  head.  You'll  find  her  repentant,  and 
you'll  find,  too,  that  she's  learned  a  heap  in  two 
years." 

Mrs.  Wheeler  gave  to  Ellis  full  details  of  her  meet 
ing  with  Cameron  and  the  events  immediately  fol 
lowing.  He  recognized  that  it  was  a  delicate  mat 
ter,  and  one  that  must  be  handled  in  the  usual  man 
ner  by  turning  the  information  over  to  the  city 
officials  and  leaving  it  with  them  to  act.  ISTothing 
could  be  done  until  the  Minister's  return  in  the  morn 
ing,  when  Mr.  Fisher  and  Mrs.  Wheeler  should  meet 
him  without  delay  and  the  subject  would  be  taken 
up. 

It  was  growing  dark  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher,  ac 
companied  by  Mrs.  Wheeler,  whom  they  would  not 
let  out  of  their  sight,  started  for  their  hotel.  A  man 
who  loitered  near  enough  to  the  carriage  to  hear  the 
address,  which  Mr.  Fisher  read  from  a  card  in  his 
very  richest  Pennsylvania  French,  stopped  to  roll 
and  light  a  cigarette  as  the  carriage  drove  away.  The 
glow  of  the  match  displayed  the  perplexed  features 
of  Henri  LeGarde. 

Late  that  evening,  after  dinner  had  been  served 


190 

and  their  plans  discussed,  "Mrs.  Wheeler  wrote  this 
letter,  which  Mr.  Fisher  addressed  and  posted: 

"DEAR  OLD  DAD: 

"I  am  coming  home.  I  have  found  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fisher,  and  they  are  to  take  me  from  this  horrible 
place,  and  will  bring  me  home  with  them.  We  must 
stay  here  a  few  days  on  very  important  business,  and 
then  we  will  go  to  London,  and  from  there  home. 
You  don't  know  how  I  love  to  write  that  word,  Dad. 
I  could  just  write  'Home — Dad — Home — Dad'  all 
over  the  sheet  and  then  not  say  it  half  as  many  times 
as  I  have  said  it  in  my  heart  every  hour  since  I 
found  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher. 

"I  won't  tell  you  anything  about  the  man  who 
stole  your  money,  except  to  say  that  these  mnti 
friends  have  promised  not  to  let  him  take  me  from 
them. 

"Now,  you  dear,  dear  old  Dad,  break  this  news 
to  Ma  and  get  her  prepared  for  my  coming.  You 
will  know  how  to  do  it  without  letting  her  see  this 
letter.  And  you  be  brave,  Dad,  and  keep  well.  Mr. 
Fisher  has  told  me  about  you,  and  though  I  will 
come  back  to  you  without  any  money,  I  am  strong 
and  know  something  now.  We  have  planned  it  all 
out  how  I  shall  take  care  of  you,  and  we  will  all  be 
happy  again. 

"BETSEY/' 

When  old  Jim  Tubbs  got  the  letter  a  fortnight 


later,  he  took  the  collie  out  into  the  fields  and  read 
it  to  him  a  dozen  times. 

"I  knowed  the  little  gal  had  the  right  kind  of  a 
heart  in  her."  he  said  to  the  dog.  "She  was  innercent 
and  kind  always,  till  her  head  got  swelled  with 
money;  but,  Lord,  Don,  it  was  only  jest  temporary. 
Folks  what's  born  and  brought  up  right  is  like  flogs 
what's  got  good  blood  in  'em  and  is  trained  right 
when  they's  puppies.  They  may  git  excited  some 
times  for  a  minnit  and  make  mistakes,  as  you  did 
when  I  caught  ye  barkin'  up  the  wrong  tree  for  a 
coon  the  other  day.  But  when  I  pointed  out  the  mis 
take,  you  made  up  for  it  by  gittin'  in  the  right  place 
in  a  jiff  and  barkin'  twict  as  loud  and  fast  as  ye 
did  before.  Betsey  made  a  mistake,  Don ;  but,  Lord, 
she'll  do  all  she  kin  to  recterfy  it." 


192  c&e  Spotter, 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  COMMUNE  AT  WORK. 

HENRI  LEGARDE,  followed  by  Jeannette,  entered 
a  confectioner's  shop  that  was  located  in  a  large 
block  mainly  given  up  to  small  stores  of  a  varied 
nature.  They  made  their  way  directly  through  the 
salesroom  into  a  common  sitting-room  at  the  back, 
and  passing  through  the  door,  ascended  a  dark  stair 
way  to  the  floor  above.  Henri  knocked  at  the  door 
at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  and  after  giving  a  mut 
tered  password,  they  were  admitted  into  a  roomy 
apartment,  dimly  lighted  from  a  shaft  at  one  end. 

A  few  men  sat  at  small  tables  amusing  themselves 
with  dice  or  cards,  and  at  another  table  four  or  five 
women  of  different  ages  were  talking  together  over 
a  couple  of  bottles  of  light  wine.  There  was  no  fur 
niture  except  chairs  and  tables.  The  room  was  stag 
nant  with  poor  air,  dirty  and  ill-smelling. 

"Welcome,  Citizen  LeGarde,"  said  one  of  the 
men,  looking  up  from  his  cards.  "We  need  new 
blood  in  the  game,  for  it  is  going  to  no  one's  fancy. 
Sit  in  and  take  a  hand  with  us." 


C6e  ^potter*  193 


"Not  now,  Citizen  Lefevre,"  replied  LeGarde, 
"there  is  work  on  hand  for  all,  and  it  must  be  done 
at  once.  There  are  a  few  good  sous  in  it,  too  -  " 

"Of  which  Citizen  LeGarde  will  take  care  that  he 
gets  his  full  share,"  laughed  the  man  who  had  been 
addressed  as  Lefevre. 

Henri's  eyes  flashed  and  a  scowl  darkened  his 
face.  "Curse  you  Lefevre,  have  I  not  always  paid 
you  —  and  every  citizen  here,  man  or  woman  —  liber 
ally  for  what  we  have  done  together?  Have  I  ever 
taken  more  than  my  just  share,  or  have  I  ever 
refused  to  contribute  to  the  common  fund  when  the 
treasury  of  the  Commune  demanded  it?" 

"No,  no,"  came  from  a  dozen  tongues,  male  and 
female.  "LeGarde  is  all  right  Don't  mind  what 
Lefevre  says,  for  he  has  been  losing  Lis  sous  all  the 
morning  and  must  have  a  fling  at  some  one." 

"He  might  better  be  on  the  lookout  for  oppor 
tunities  to  help  the  Cause,"  growled  LeGarde.  "He, 
as  well  as  others,  spends  too  much  time  gambling  and 
drinking,  leaving  a  few  to  do  the  planning,  think 
ing,  and  acting  for  the  Circle." 

Lefevre  made  no  reply.  He  saw  that  the  chief 
citizen  was  in  bad  temper,  and  former  experiences 
taught  him  that  there  was  danger  in  adding  fuel  to 
the  flame. 

"Call  the  others,"  ordered  LeGarde,  shortly.  Two 
or  three  men  and  as  many  women  disapeared  through 
the  doors  opening  from  the  two  sides  and  one  end 


194  Cfje  Spotter. 

of  the  room,  and  in  a  few  moments  several  other  men 
and  women  came  hastily  into  the  hall.  They  all 
were  of  the  same  general  stamp — none  past  middle 
age,  and  probably  none  under  twenty  years.  They 
represented  almost  as  many  occupations  as  there  were 
persons  present,  and  while  a  few  had  steady  employ 
ment,  where  they  might  be  useful,  the  majority  were 
prowling  jackals,  ready  for  almost  any  crime  or 
adventure.  It  was  a  remnant  of  that  Commune 
which  for  a  time  held  Paris  in  its  grasp  after  the 
withdrawal  of  the  German  army,  and  they  lived 
here  in  the  upper  stories  of  a  great  block,  where  they 
assisted  or  protected  each  other  as  occasion  might 
demand.  It  was  the  administration  building  or  head 
center  of  that  organization  of  which  LeGarde  had 
spoken  to  Wheeler,  and  the  knowledge  possessed 
within  its  walls  of  what  was  transpiring  in  the  city 
was  greater  than  that  held  by  the  entire  police  depart 
ment. 

"A  woman  is  missing,"  said  LeGarde,  looking 
upon  the  fifty  or  more  persons  gathered  around  him. 
"Some  of  you  may  know  her,  as  she  is  the  woman 
Jeannette  has  been  watching  so  many  months.  She 
left  her  home  an  hour  and  a  half  ago,  carrying  a 
small  handbag.  She  knows  little  of  Paris,  speaks 
only  a  few  sentences  of  French,  and  has  but  little 
money.  She  ought  to  be  discovered  in  an  hour.  Jean 
nette  will  describe  her." 

Jeannette  stood  upon  a  chair  where  all  might  see 


Cjje  Spotter,  195 


her,  and  in  a  few  words  pictured  madame's  dress 
and  appearance  so  minutely  that  those  who  listened 
almost  could  see  the  woman  they  were  to  seek. 

"She  is  one  who  by  her  beauty  and  the  fresh  glow 
of  her  complexion  without  rouge  will  attract  atten 
tion,"  concluded  Jeannette  after  describing  the  dress. 
"Her  eyes  are  of  strong  blue  and  appear  always  to 
be  asking  a  question.  Her  cheeks  are  round,  her 
lips  are  rather  full,  and  her  tee,th  perfect.  She  has 
hair  like  no  other  woman  in  Paris.  One  might  call 
it  brown  and  another  would  declare  that  it  is  a  dark 
auburn,  but  whatever  it  may  be  in  color,  it  is  like 
shimmering  skeins  of  silk  in  texture  and  covers  her 
head  in  a  magnificent  coif." 

LeGarde  added  a  few  further  particulars 
about  Mrs.  Wheeler's  disappearance  and  then  told 
them  that  the  news  must  be  spread  through  all  chan 
nels.  As  soon  as  she  was  discovered,  a  message  must 
be  forwarded  to  him,  while  at  the  same  time  watch 
should  be  kept  upon  madame  and  every  movement 
followed  until  he  should  arrive  to  direct  the  espion 
age  in  person  and  give  further  orders.  "The  re 
ward,"  he  said,  "will  be  a  hundred  francs  to  the  one 
who  makes  the  first  report  concerning  her,  and  fifty 
francs  to  each  of  those  who  may  be  called  upon  to 
assist  in  continuing  the  watch.  If  we  are  success 
ful,  it  means  another  thousand  francs  for  our 
treasury." 


196  C&e  Spotter, 

"And  probably  five  thousand  for  LeGarde's  belt," 
muttered  Lefevre  to  himself. 

In  five  minutes  the  room  was  deserted  by  all  save 
Henri  and  Jeannette.  In  less  than  an  hour  more  than 
a  thousand  persons  in  Paris  were  looking  for  Mrs. 
Wheeler.  In  an  hour  and  a  quarter  LeGarde  knew 
where  she  had  eaten  her  breakfast.  In  another  half 
hour  he  knew  the  name  of  the  driver  and  the  num 
ber  of  the  carriage  madame  had  employed  in  her 
trip  to  the  American  Legation.  In  another  hour 
there  came  a  report  from  one  who  had  seen  madame 
waiting  for  an  audience  with  the  American  Minis 
ter,  and  three  were  watching  to  dog  her  footsteps 
should  she  emerge  from  the  embassy.  Then  LeGarde 
and  Jeannette  went  to  Wheeler,  who  met  them  at  the 
door,  pale  and  nervous. 

"What  news  ?"  he  asked  anxiously. 

"She  has  been  located." 

"Where?" 

"At  the  American  Legation." 

Wheeler  staggered.  "How  in  the  devil  did  she 
come  to  know  anything  about  the  Legation  ?  She  has 
gone  there  to  expose  me." 

LeGarde  nodded. 

"Has  she  seen  the  Minister  ?" 

"She  is  waiting  for  an  audience." 

Wheeler  launched  a  string  of  oaths  that  almost 
shocked  the  Frenchman  and  caused  Jeannette  to  stop 


Ci)e  ^potter,  197 


her  ears.  When  his  inventions  of  blasphemy  were 
exhausted,  he  asked  LeGarde  what  was  to  be  done. 

"You  must  be  ready  to  leave  Paris  at  a  moment's 
notice.  The  police  soon  will  be  searching  for  you 
and  for  one  Henri  LeGarde  and  his  companion 
Jules  ;  and  also  for  a  certain  M.  Cameron." 

"You  think  that  her  game  ?" 

"Yes;  you  were  hard  with  her  and  she  is 
angry.  She  will  tell  of  this  man's  disappearance." 

"But,  if  you  have  told  me  the  truth,  we  can  pro 
duce  Cameron  and  refute  her." 

"Do  you  want  that  done  ?" 

"No  !"  he  shouted,  with  another  torrent  of  oaths. 

"Monsieur  is  again  childish,"  said  LeGarde  at 
length.  "It  will  not  prevent  his  exposure  to  stand 
there  and  curse  like  a  pirate.  He  must  act.  There 
may  be  some  hours  in  which  to  do  so,  for  a  number 
of  people  are  waiting  for  audience  ahead  of  madame. 
Then,  if  she  sees  the  Minister,  there  are  certain 
forms  to  follow  and  delays  to  encounter  before  the 
information  may  be  given  the  police.  It  is  possible 
that  nothing  will  be  done  before  morning;  but  we 
shall  know  each  step  and  can  estimate  the  moment 
of  danger  with  precision,  for  the  watchers  are  vigi 
lant. 

"Monsieur  must  immediately  go  to  his  office  and 
put  his  affairs  in  shape  to  leave.  All  securities, 
private  papers  and  cash  should  be  placed  in  as  small 
parcels  as  possible  so  that  they  may  be  removed  under 


198  Ciie  Spotter. 

monsieur's  direction.  The  papers  and  records  be 
longing  to  those  whom  monsieur  represents  may  be 
deposited  with  the  company's  bankers  with  the  ex 
planation  that  monsieur  is  called  suddenly  to  Eng 
land.  In  the  meantime,  Jeannette,  with  the  help  of 
those  who  may  be  trusted,  will  pack  the  articles  in 
these  rooms  which  belong  to  monsieur,  and  they  may 
be  stored  where  they  may  be  withdrawn  when  it  is 
safe  to  do  so. 

"By  evening,  if  necessary,  monsieur,  disguised  as 
an  invalid  gentleman,  will  be  ready  to  leave  Paris 
with  Jeannette  as  his  guide  and  nurse." 

Wheeler  looked  at  him  passively.  "Where  shall  I 
go?"  he  asked  presently. 

"To  a  very  safe  hiding-place  not  more  than  two 
hours'  ride  from  Paris,  and  where  you  may  be  con 
stantly  informed  as  to  the  progress  of  events  here," 
was  the  response. 

"It  appears  to  be  the  only  course  to  follow,"  he 
said,  after  reflection.  "I  suppose  it  is  at  least  the 
safest  thing  to  do,  until  I  may  confer  with  my  prin 
cipals  in  America." 

The  remainder  of  the  day  was  passed  in  unusual 
activity  on  Wheeler's  part.  LeGarde  brought  two 
young  men  whom  he  recommended  as  assistants,  and 
as  they  were  accustomed  to  clerical  work,  a  number 
of  letters  were  written  at  WTheeler's  dictation  ex 
plaining  that  M.  White  had  been  urgently  and  uneK- 
pectedly  summoned  to  England,  and  that  therefore 


C&e  Spotter,  199 


business  transactions  with  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing 
and  Refining  Company  must  be  held  in  abeyance 
until  his  return,  which  might  be  expected  soon.  With 
his  own  hand  he  wrote  President  Lanphere  and  put 
him  in  possession  of  all  the  occurrences  up  to  that 
time,  and  giving  an  address  which  had  been  furnished 
by  LeGarde  as  entirely  safe  for  future  communica 
tions.  In  fact,  the  office  of  M.  Cyrus  White  was 
dismantled  and  closed,  and  the  man  who  so  long 
had  posed  under  that  name  left  the  place  in  feverish 
haste,  carrying  a  portmanteau  in  which  there  were 
negotiable  paper  and  bank  notes  to  the  value  of 
nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  francs. 

In  the  afternoon  a  message  from  LeGarde  in 
formed  Wheeler  that  his  wife  had  quite  dramatically 
met  acquaintances  at  the  Legation,  that  she  fainted 
upon  recognizing  them,  and  that  they  were  now 
closeted  in  a  private  room.  Later,  at  an  obscure 
hotel  whither  he  had  been  directed,  Wheeler  met 
LeGarde  and  was  given  such  an  account  of  the  inci 
dents  of  the  afternoon  as  best  suited  the  purpose  of 
the  man  into  whose  hands  he  had  fallen. 

Wheeler's  one  thought  was  immediate  flight.  He 
was  led  to  believe  that  the  Parisian  police  were  even 
now  in  possession  of  the  story  and  had  commenced  a 
preliminary  investigation,  which  was  not  calculated 
to  awaken  alarm  in  the  suspected  persons,  but  which 
might  result  in  sudden  and  decisive  action.  His 
fears  were  played  upon  until  his  condition  became 


200  Cfje 

one  of  panic,  and  he  thrust  money  into  LeGarde's 
hands  without  waiting  to  count  it,  begging  the  Com 
munist  to  hasten  the  arrangements  for  his  departure 
from  Paris.  Whispered  consultations  were  held  by 
members  of  the  Circle  who  were  continually  arriv 
ing  and  departing  with  appearance  of  the  greatest 
possible  secrecy,  and  Eli  Wheeler,  the  unscrupulous 
manipulator,  the  man  who  for  years  had  been  prac 
ticing  the  black  art  of  deception  with  an  adroit 
ness  that  commended  him  to  the  high  regard  of  the 
great  originator  of  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and 
Refining  Company,  became  a  trembling,  cowardly 
victim  of  his  own  strongest  weapon. 

It  was  nearing  ten  o'clock  that  evening  when  a 
muffled,  bent  figure,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  a 
woman  who  was  clad  in  a  smart  travelling  costume, 
and  whose  face  was  scarcely  distinguishable  through 
a  clever  arrangement  of  her  headgear,  took  the  last 
way  train  from  Paris  toward  Havre. 

"Where  do  we  go?"  asked  the  apparent  invalid 
of  his  companion  when  they  were  seated  in  their 
compartment,  and  the  porter  had  deposited  the  port 
manteaus  beside  them. 

"To  Mantes,"  she  replied  in  a  whisper.  "It  is 
but  a  short  distance." 

In  this  manner  Eli  Wheeler  left  Paris,  nor  did  he 
ever  see  the  city  again.  But  there  were  those  re 
maining  who  remembered  him,  for  in  the  assembly 
room  of  the  Circle  that  night,  many  a  bottle  of  wine 


C&e  ^potter.  201 

was  opened  which  had  been  purchased  with  his 
money,  and  the  citizens  there  gathered  laughed 
heartily  when  told  by  chosen  aides  of  LeGarde  how 
completely  their  chief's  latest  patron  had  shown  him 
self  a  poltroon. 


202 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A   BIDE    IN    THE    COUNTRY. 

AT  MANTES,  whither  they  arrived  after  midnight 
in  a  storm  of  cold,  drizzling  rain,  they  were  met  by 
a  shabby,  ill-smelling,  closed  carriage  driven  by  Jules 
LeGarde,  though  he  was  so  muffled  and  tied  up  that 
he  was  not  recognized  by  Wheeler.  Jeannette  ex 
changed  no  greetings  that  disclosed  the  identity  of 
the  driver,  and  they  were  soon  upon  the  road  leading 
toward  their  destination.  The  night  was  dark  and 
gusty,  and  after  the  poorly-lighted  streets  of  the 
town  were  left  behind,  Wheeler,  peering  from  the 
carriage  window,  could  distinguish  none  of  the  ob 
jects  along  the  roadway.  Suddenly  there  flashed 
upon  his  mind  the  thought  that  he  was  being  taken 
away  for  the  purpose  of  robbery,  and  he  felt  about 
in  the  carriage  until  he  secured  the  portmanteau  in 
which  a  large  share  of  his  treasure  was  lodged  and 
drew  it  into  his  lap. 

"Monsieur  need  not  be  alarmed,"  said  Jeannette, 
"he  is  in  the  hands  of  friends." 

"I  do  not  doubt  that,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned, 


CJie  Spotter,  203 

Jeannette,"  he  replied  quickly,  "but  it  appears  to  be 
a  lonely  road  and  for  the  moment  the  fear  of  high 
waymen  came  into  my  mind.  You  must  know  that 
in  these  bags  there  is  a  great  deal  of  value." 

"I  know,  monsieur,"  replied  Jeannette  with  a 
sigh.  "To  one  in  my  humble  station  it  is  a  fabulous 
fortune.  But  it  is  as  safe  from  highwaymen  here, 
monsieur,  as  though  locked  in  the  vaults  of  the  Bank 
of  France." 

"What  guerdon  of  safety  surrounds  it  here,  in  this 
lonely  and  desolate  highway,  with  only  an  unarmed 
man  and  a  young  woman  to  guard  it,  and  a  driver 
who,  perhaps,  may  or  may  not  be  a  highwayman 
himself?" 

Jeannette  laughed  and  bethought  herself  that  she 
must  allay  his  fears. 

"I  forget;  monsieur  has  not  been  informed  in 
whose  carriage  he  rides,  or  to  whose  retreat  he  is 
about  to  pay  a  visit,  else  he  would  not  ask  a  question 
of  this  nature." 

"No,  Jeannette,  I  have  not  been  informed;  I  do 
not  know.  I  have  trusted  all  to  LeGarde — and  you." 

"That  should  be  your  assurance  of  safety." 

"It  may  be  so,  but  LeGardte  has  no  interest  in 
me  other  than  that  which  is  purchased.  I  have  within 
the  last  few  hours  witnessed  some  exhibition  of  his 
power  and  resources,  but  I  cannot  escape  the  thought 
that  it  would  be  very  easy  for  him  simply  to  make 


204  C&e  Spotter, 

away  with  monsieur  and  help  himself  to  what  I  pos 
sess  in  money  and  other  valuables." 

"Monsieur!"  and  Wheeler  knew  that  Jeannette 
drew  herself  up  to  an  attitude  of  indignation,  "this 
is  most  unjust  of  you.  Neither  Henri  nor  Jules  have 
given  you  cause  for  harboring  such  thoughts.  Both 
have  served  you  well,  and  will  continue  to  do  so 
until  you  are  no  longer  in  danger  or  in  need  of  their 
assistance.  They  are  poor  men,  monsieur,  and  have 
seen  their  hopes  dashed  to  earth  by  the  triumph 
of  the  military  and  money  power  of  France.  But 
they  are  not  ungrateful  traitors  who  will  turn  upon 
an  employer  who  has  treated  them  with  considera 
tion  and  generosity." 

Wheeler  thought  of  the  scene  which  occurred  in  his 
office  early  the  previous  morning  when  Henri 
LeGarde  extorted  ten  thousand  francs  from  him  at 
the  point  of  a  murderous-looking  knife ;  but  he  made 
no  reply. 

"Monsieur." 

"Yes,  Jeannette." 

"Has  there  been  any  act  of  mine  that  would  lead 
you  to  have  suspicion  that  I  would  consent  to  your 
robbery,  or  that  harm  would  come  to  you  in  any 
manner  ?" 

"No,  no,  Jeannette,  surely  there  has  not  You 
have  been  faithful — and  truthful  in  all  things." 

"Thank  you,  monsieur,"  she  said  in  a  voice  that 
trembled. 


Cfie  Spotter,  205 

"I  have  depended  much  upon  you,  Jeannette,  and 
without  your  help  I  do  not  know  what  I  could  have 
done.  I — I  have  come  to  regard  you  highly,  Jean- 
nette — very  highly,  indeed." 

"I  thank  you,  monsieur;  I  thank  you  for  those 
words,"  she  repeated  in  low  tones. 

Wheeler's  inordinate  vanity  for  some  weeks  had 
been  feeding  upon  the  belief  that  he  was  making 
an  impression  upon  Jeannette.  He  found  her  quick, 
vivacious,  ready  to  aid  and  abet  him,  sympathetic — 
really  a  person  of  superior  attainments.  She  had 
encouraged  him,  under  her  lover's  direction,  and 
madame's  quick  eyes  detected  it.  There  was  reason 
now  for  still  further  encouragement,  and  so  when 
monsieur  put  his  arm  about  her  waist  and  drew  her 
more  closely  to  him,  fondly  imagining  that  he  had 
made  another  conquest,  Jeannette  did  not  resist. 

"I  might  say,  Jeannette,"  he  continued,  with  his 
lips  close  to  her  cheek,  "that  my  feelings  toward  you 
have  reached  a  point  where  the  simple,  cold  word 
regard  does  not  express  them.  You  have  crept  into 
my  heart,  little  girl;  day  by  day  you  have  grown 
closer  to  me,  and  I  have  come  to  look  upon  you  with 
love." 

"Fie,  monsieur!"  and  she  struggled  feebly  to 
escape  his  grasp.  "You  should  not  say  this  to  an 
honest  girl.  Pleasant  as  it  may  be  to  you — and  to 
me,  alas !  you  have  no  right  to  speak  of  it ;  nor  I  to 
listen.  Think  of  madame !" 


206  ctie  Spotter, 

"Wait,  Jeannette — dear  Jeannette — I  have  a  right 
to  say  that  I  love  you,  and  you  have  a  right  to  listen 
to  the  declaration.  Madame  never  was  my  wife!" 

Jeannette  knew  that  he  lied,  and  she  hated  him 
more  than  ever  for  it.  She  had  come  to  have  for 
Mrs.  Wheeler  a  high  opinion,  which  had  been  in 
creased  during  the  last  few  hours,  and  she  consoled 
herself  that  in  submitting  to  the  present  ordeal  she 
would  find  some  compensation  in  the  belief  that  this 
man  would  soon  get  the  reward  due  him  for  his 
treatment  of  madame. 

"Ah,  monsieur,  this  cannot  be  true.  Madame  was 
so  good,  so  kind  and  ever  had  such  a  modest  way." 

"I  swear  it,  Jeannette,  and  the  proof  of  what  I 
say  can  be  produced.  Madame  is  deep — deeper  than 
either  of  us  suspected.  I  did  not  know  her  until 
after  we  reached  Paris,  and  then  I  learned  only  a 
part  of  her  nature.  She  was  almost  a  stranger  to  me 
— a  young  adventuress,  whose  pretty,  innocent-look 
ing  face  and  guileless  manner  appealed  to  me  and 
caught  my  fancy.  The  carrying  out  of  great  business 
transactions  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  world,  but 
which  were  opposed  by  a  few  fanatics  who  did  not 
know  what  they  were  doing,  made  it  necessary  for 
me  to  leave  my  country  and  go  abroad,  and  this  girl 
robbed  and  deserted  her  parents  without  my  knowl 
edge,  and  fastened  herself  upon  me.  Not  until  we 
were  here  some  months  did  I  know  that  she  had  left 


Cfte  Spotter*  207 


her  father  and  mother  in  actual  want,  and  I  then 
took  occasion  to  relieve  them. 

"Of  course  it  was  weak  and  wrong  in  me  to  take 
up  with  her,  Jeannette,  but  you  know  that  she  has  a 
most  attractive  manner  when  she  desires  to  display  it 
She  blinded  me  to  what  was  right." 

"Did  monsieur  intend  never  to  marry  madame?" 
asked  Jeannette,  controlling  her  voice  with  difficulty, 
for  she  was  growing  more  indignant  each  minute. 

"At  one  time  I  thought  of  it.  You  recall  how  I 
disposed  of  her  flashy  jewelry  and  impossible 
clothing,  and  how  I  attempted  to  lead  and  influence 
her  to  adopt  those  manners  and  customs  which  would 
become  the  wife  of  a  sedate  and  home-loving  busi 
ness  man,  or  a  gentleman  of  leisure  and  quiet  tastes. 
But  she  was  wilful  and  obstinate;  and  then  when 
this  Cameron  appeared  upon  the  scene,  and  after  an 
interview,  went  his  own  way  with  money  in  his 
pocket,  she  accused  me  of  all  manner  of  crimes,  and 
left  me,  as  you  know.  I  cannot  guess  what  she 
intends  to  do  with  these  people  whom  she  picked  up 
at  the  Legation,  as  there  is  no  knowing  to  what  ends 
such  a  woman's  desire  for  revenge  may  lead  her." 

"Why  do  you  flee  from  Paris,  monsieur,  in  such 
terror,  if  what  you  tell  me  is  true  ?" 

"Through  unfortunate  circumstances  madame  has 
come  into  possession  of  some  information  which 
might  be  used  against  me  to  the  damage  of  my  com 
pany  and  my  own  financial  ruin.  In  moments  of 


208 


weakness  I  told  her  some  things  which  she  should 
not  have  known,  and  though  they  are  not  in  them 
selves  criminal,  and  are  nothing  of  which  I  should 
be  ashamed,  they  would  do  great  injury  to  this  busi 
ness  to  which  I  have  referred." 

"It  is  very  strange,  monsieur,  but  I  suppose  I  must 
believe  what  you  tell  me." 

"You  should  do  so,  Jeannette,  for  it  is  the  truth. 
I  am  free  to  love  you,  dear  little  girl,  and  I  have 
done  so  for  months.  At  times  it  seemed  to  me  that 
I  must  take  you  in  my  arms  and  tell  you  so,  but  I 
have  hesitated,  fearing  that  you  would  not  forgive 
my  weakness." 

"Ah,  monsieur,  it  is  not  a  pleasant  tale.  But 
women  can  forgive  much,  monsieur  in  those  —  in 
those  for  whom  they  have  —  affection,"  she  said,  her 
voice  sinking  almost  to  a  whisper. 

"Jeannette,  dear  Jeannette!"  he  cried,  clasping 
her  against  his  breast  and  attempting  to  press  his 
lips  to  hers.  She  avoided  him  with  a  show  of 
maidenly  modesty,  and  after  a  struggle  partially 
released  herself  from  his  embrace. 

"Monsieur,  you  must  have  a  care.  I  am  not  a 
child,  nor  am  I  one  to  let  you  fondle  me  at  your 
will." 

"Oh,  my  dear  one,"  he  continued  with  fervor, 
"why  should  we  not  leave  France  at  once  ?  We  are 
free  from  LeGarde,  who  already  has  been  well  paid 
for  all  he  has  done  for  me.  We  are  away  from  the 


Cfje  Spotter,  209 

police  of  Paris,  who  may  be  looking  for  me  upon 
some  cock-and-bull  story  of — this  woman.  I  have  in 
my  possession  a  fortune,  one  that  will  take  us  to 
any  country  to  which  we  may  decide  to  go,  and  keep 
us  after  we  reach  there.  And,  besides  this  which  I 
have  with  me,  there  are  thousands  of  francs,  Jean- 
nette,  upon  which  I  can  draw,  and  it  shall  all  be 
yours.  See — "and  he  took  two  thick  books  from  the 
inside  of  his  coat  and  thrust  them  into  her  hands — 
"feel  in  the  pockets,  my  darling.  You  can  tell,  even 
in  the  darkness,  that  they  are  filled  with  bank  notes 
— thousands  upon  thousands  of  francs,  and  all  shall 
be  yours.  And  not  only  these,  but  other  scores  of 
thousands  here  in  this  bag.  Come,  Jeannette,  why 
hesitate  ?" 

"How  can  we  escape,  monsieur?  What  plan  do 
you  propose?" 

"We  can  stop  the  driver  and  command  him  to 
return  to  the  station — tell  him  I  have  changed  my 
mind,  or  anything  else.  If  the  order  be  accompanied 
by  a  few  francs,  he  will  be  entirely  agreeable  and 
will  keep  his  own  counsel.  From  the  station  we 
ought  to  be  able  to  catch  a  train  that  would  get  us 
to  Havre  soon  after  daylight,  and  thence  we  may 
easily  secure  passage  upon  a  steamer  for  some  coun 
try — I  care  not  where  if  you  are  with  me." 

"But,  monsieur,  the — the  marriage  ?" 

"Ah,  you  little  Puritan,  that  shall  take  place  the 


210  c&e  Spotter, 

first  moment  we  reach  a  place  where  we  are  free  from 
pursuit." 

"Oh,  monsieur,  what  would  become  of  me  if  you 
should  deceive  me  ?  I  think  of  how  you  told  madame 
to  go  from  you,  and  without  money  to  buy  even 
a  loaf  of  bread." 

For  a  moment,  Wheeler  was  silent.  "I  promise 
you,  Jeannette,  upon  my  sacred  honor,  that  the  mar 
riage  shall  take  place." 

"Perhaps  you  promised  the  same  to  madame." 

"I  swear,  then,  by  every  hope  of  happiness,  here 
or  hereafter." 

"Ah,  monsieur,  oaths  are  so  soon  forgotten." 

"Then  here,"  and  he  began  emptying  his  pockets 
into  her  lap.  "I  strip  myself  of  every  sou  I  now 
have  in  my  possession.  Here,  and  here  and  here — 
you  cannot  see  the  notes,  but  you  know  their  texture 
and  must  understand,  as  I  have  told  you  that  there 
are  thousands  of  francs.  In  this  valise  is  more — I 
do  not  know  the  sum,  but  it  will  fill  your  pretty 
head  with  visions  of  luxury  and  ease,  could  you  but 
catch  a  glimpse  of  this  wealth.  Take  it  all;  hold 
it  in  your  possession  until  I  keep  my  promise  to 
make  you  my  wife.  We  will  go  as  I  have  said,  and 
you  shall  be  my  banker." 

The  man  was  beside  himself.  For  the  time  he  for 
got  every  danger  and  would  have  accepted  any 
chance. 

"Monsieur,  forgive  me,  I  have  wounded  you,"  and 


Spotter,  211 

her  arms  met  around  his  neck  and  brought  his  head 
upon  her  bosom.  "I  know  now  that  you  are  in 
earnest  in  what  you  have  said,  and  that  you  intend 
to  deal  honorably  with  me.  Forgive  me,  monsieur." 

"There  is  nothing  to  forgive,  my  darling  one/'  he 
replied,  returning  her  embrace  with  a  warmth  that 
was  unmistakable.  Then  lifting  his  head:  "Let  us 
stop  this  driver  at  once  and  return  to  Mantes.  Each 
minute  is  important  to  us." 

"Wait  a  moment,  my  dear  monsieur,"  she  replied, 
almost  in  a  whisper.  "I  am  so  happy  that  I  cannot 
bear  to  think  of  any  interruption — of  the  return 
to  streets  and  lights  where  people,  always  curious 
and  impertinent,  watch  one's  movements;  where  we 
will  be  called  upon  to  travel  a  long  distance  bearing 
toward  each  other  the  appearance  of  master  and  ser 
vant,  and  where  we  may  run  into  dangers  that  can 
not  be  foreseen.  Monsieur,  if  we  could  only  go  for 
ward  like  this,  by  ourselves,  forever!  But  that  is 
impossible,  as  there  will  be  spies  everywhere  in 
France  who  soon  will  be  informed  of  our  disap 
pearance." 

They  had  been  riding  forward  in  the  darkness 
nearly  an  hour,  and  the  last  half  of  it  over  a  road 
so  rough  and  uneven  that  Wheeler  had  complained 
about  it  several  times.  Scarcely  had  Jeannette  made 
her  confession  of  happiness  in  monsieur's  arms,  be 
fore  the  carriage  gave  a  severe  jolt  and  then  came  to 
a  halt.  Almost  immediately  they  heard  cries  and 


212  c&e  Spotter, 

groans  from  the  driver  and  were  aware  that  the 
horses  were  plunging. 

"Highwaymen S"  gasped  Wheeler  in  a  husky  whis 
per,  disentangling  himself  from  the  girl's  embrace. 

"An  accident,"  said  Jeannette.  "No  highway 
man  would  touch  this  carriage — it  bears  the  sign  of 
the  Circle.  Hasten,  monsieur,  to  assist  the  driver. 
The  poor  man  may  be  badly  injured." 

Wheeler  fumbled  badly  with  the  carriage  door,  not 
especially  desiring  to  open  it,  as  he  was  only  par 
tially  convinced  that  he  would  not  meet  the  grasp 
of  a  robber  as  soon  as  the  door  swung  open. 
Finally,  however,  he  stepped  cautiously  to  the 
ground,  but  in  the  blackness  of  the  night  could  dis 
tinguish  little  more  than  dim  outlines.  He  called 
to  the  driver  and  asked  the  cause  of  the  trouble. 

"Help,  monsieur,  for  the  love  of  God,  give  me 
help.  I  am  injured,  monsieur,  and  fear  I  am  dying. 
Hasten,  hasten,  I  faint!" 

The  man's  voice  sounded  as  though  he  lay  upon 
the  ground  near  the  forward  wheels  of  the  carriage, 
and  Wheeler  cautiously  groped  his  way  toward  it. 
Jeannette  glided  past  him  and  went  to  the  heads  of 
the  horses.  The  driver  continued  to  groan  from 
what  appeared  to  be  great  pain,  and  Wheeler  took 
him  by  the  shoulders  and  gently  drew  him  from  a 
position  of  evident  danger. 

"Steady,  monsieur,  you  do  not  know  how  you 
hurt  me — ah,  that  is  better — no,  no,  lift  my  shoul- 


Cfre  Spotter*  213 

'ders,  quick!  There,  so;"  and  the  poor  fellow  pain 
fully  gasped  for  breath. 

"How  are  you  hurt?"  inquired  "Wheeler  with 
anxiety,  for  he  feared  that  the  man  was  dangerously 
injured. 

"It  is  in  my  back  and  shoulders,"  came  the  faint 
reply.  "I  cannot  raise  my  arms — ah,  Blessed  Vir 
gin!  the  pain — it  will  kill  me."  He  was  silent  a 
moment  but  for  a  groan,  and  then  continued:  "I 
fear  I  dozed  on  my  seat — the  whasls,  falling  sud 
denly  in  a  rut — threw  me  head  foremost  from  my 
place — under  the  feet  of  the  horses." 

He  spoke  in  broken  sentences  and  appeared  to  be 
exhausted  by  the  effort.  Jearmette  approached  in  the 
darkness  and  stood  beside  monsieur.  She  asked  if 
there  was  not  a  lantern  in  the  driver's  seat. 

"No,  mam'selle;  unfortunately,  there  is  none,"  he 
whispered. 

"Is  there  no  help  near?"  asked  the  girl,  bending 
down  in  tender  solicitude. 

"A  short  distance  back — a  peasant's  house— ah, 
monsieur,  monsieur,  the  pain!  Raise  my  head — 
there ;  it  is  easier." 

Jeannette  and  monsieur  conferred  together  a  mo 
ment,  their  voices  almost  drowned  by  the  suffering 
man's  groans. 

"Monsieur  will  go  for  help  if  you  will  direct 
him,"  said  the  girl,  kneeling  beside  the  driver. 

"It  is  not  far,  mam'selle.     Follow  the  hedge — on 


Spotter* 

the  right  until  he  comes — the  first  opening."  He 
paused  from  weakness.  "There  in  the  field — back 
from  the  roadway — an  orchard.  He  will  find  it 
there — the  peasant's  home — Jean  Benoit  and  his 
two  stout  sons." 

They  heard  the  man  muttering  his  prayers  with 
his  expressions  of  pain. 

"Go,  monsieur,  it  is  a  duty,"  said  Jeannette,  urg 
ing  him  from  her  side.  "Shout  for  assistance  as 
you  run,  and  you  may  awaken  them  against  your 
coming.  Pause  a  moment  and  shout  twice  at  the 
opening  of  the  hedge,  monsieur,  and  I  will  call  to 
you  in  return  so  you  may  know  that  all  is  well  with 
me.  Ah,  God !  this  is  a  fearful  hour  to  be  left  with 
a  dying  man,  and  the  sound  of  your  voice  will  sus 
tain  me." 

Wheeler  caught  her  a  moment  in  his  arms  and 
kissed  her  unresisting  lips.  Then,  with  a  promise 
to  make  all  speed,  he  hurried  away,  keeping  close 
to  the  hedge  and  halloing  as  he  ran.  He  stumbled 
into  ditches,  or  plunged  into  the  l'-ng  and  thorny 
branches  of  the  sweeping  hedge,  but  these  accidents 
did  not  deter  him  from  pressing  on  with  such  haste 
as  he  could  make  in  the  darkness.  At  length,  when 
almost  in  despair  of  coming  upon  the  opening,  he 
saw  the  space  at  his  side.  He  paused  to  gain  breatli, 
and  with  his  hands  beside  his  moath  be  shouted 
twice  to  Jeannette.  Faintly  and  far  away  he  heard 
the  answering 


C|je  Spotter,  215 

"Halloa!  halloa!" 

Before  Eli  Wheeler  had  gone  fifty  yards  upon  his 
search  for  assistance,  two  strange  things  happened 
at  the  carriage.  Jules  LeGarde,  the  driver,  rose 
from  the  ground,  his  sides  shaking  with  laughter, 
and  in  the  enthusiasm  of  happiness  caught  Jeannette 
in  his  arms.  From  the  rear  of  the  carriage  where 
he  had  been  perched  during  the  entire  drive,  Henri 
LeGarde  stepped  down  to  seize  the  two  in  his  arms, 
all  three  dancing  in  a  circle  like  children. 

"Cease,"  said  Jeannette,  "you  ars  smothering  me 
with  your  embraces." 

"Oh,  but  such  a  wonderful  little  woman  deserves 
embraces,"  said  Henri,  catching  her  around  the  waist 
and  sweeping  her  from  her  feet.  "The  stage  loses 
the  greatest  comedienne  of  a  century  when  you 
become  my  wife.  What  say  you,  Jules?" 

"Indeed  it  is  true;  but  listen — do  you  not  think 
monsieur  has  a  strong  voice  ?" 

Together  they  laughed  over  the  manner  in  which 
Wheeler  had  been  tricked. 

"It  is  better  so  than  an  unpleasant  encounter  with 
monsieur,"  declared  Henri.  "Had  it  been  necessary 
to  bind  and  gag  him,  and  leave  him  here  beside  the 
road,  possibly  with  wounds,  there  would  have  been 
a  pretty  hue  and  cry  over  what  the  public  would 
declare  to  be  a  bold  outrage.  As  it  is,  he  ran  away 
without  threat  or  show  of  violence,  leaving  his  money 
to  the  care  of  others  who  will  disappear." 


216  Cjje  Spotter, 

"Thus  making  it  partly  his  own  fault  that  it 
was  lost  to  him." 

"Entirely  his  own  fault,  for  the  unprotected 
woman,  left  alone  with  the  dissembling  driver,  was 
overcome  by  him,  gagged  and  abducted." 

"Ha,  ha,  ha,  was  there  ever  such  a  simple  thing." 

"And  it  is  to  Jeannette  that  we  owe  the  plan." 

"Yes,  Jules,  to  Jeannette,  the  minx.  I  think  she 
wanted  to  be  made  love  to." 

"Henri,  you  know  it  is  not  so,"  she  protested.  "I 
suffered  it  because  I  did  not  wish  you  to  be  party 
to  a  greater  crime." 

"Tish,  tish,  girl,  I  know  how  you  felt;  but  I 
doubted  the  success  of  the  plan  until  I  heard  him 
swearing  everything  and  giving  up  all  if  you  only 
would  elope  with  him.  O,  it  was  rare,"  and  again  he 
went  off  in  laughter.  "But  sometimes  I  felt  like 
cutting  a  hole  through  the  carriage  top  and  punch 
ing  monsieur's  head." 

Jeannette  put  her  hand  playfully  over  Henri's 
mouth  to  keep  him  quiet  and  they  heard  again  the 
distant  shouts. 

"We  must  return  at  once,"  said  Jules,  "for  it  will 
be  daylight  in  an  hour  and  there  must  now  be  no 
miscarriage  of  our  plans." 

"True,"  replied  Henri,  releasing  Jeannette.  "Un 
til  we  come  to  the  old  house  near  Mantes,  you  shall 
guard  the  money  which  you  won  so  easily,  while 
Jules  and  myself  will  act  as  your  coachman  and 


Cfje  Spotter*  217 

guide.  You  deserve  a  trumpeter  and  postillions,  but 
they  might  attract  too  much  attention  at  present. 
When  night  comes  again,  we  leave  for  Italy — you 
and  Jules  and  I." 

"And  Felice,"  said  Jules. 

"And  Felice,  of  course.  In  my  own  happiness  I 
forgot  that  there  are  to  be  two  weddings." 

Jeannette,  standing  on  the  carriage  step  heard  the 
distant  voice — 

"Halloa,  Jeannette,  halloa!" 

Without  a  tremor  of  voice,  she  answered  monsieur 
as  she  had  promised. 

Henri  and  Jules  mounted  the  driver's  seat,  the 
horses  were  turned  sharply  to  the  right,  upon  a 
firm,  smooth  roadway,  and  the  carriage  disappeared 
in  the  darkness. 


218  C&e  Spotter, 


CHAPTEK  XXIII. 

A   DISCOVERY   AT   DAWN. 

WHEN  Wheeler  paused  at  the  opening  of  the 
hedge,  he  waited  long  enough  to  hear  the  faint  call 
of  the  false  Jeannette  in  answer  to  his  shout,  and 
then  turned  directly  into  the  field.  From  the  dim 
outlines  of  trees  about  him  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  he  was  following  a  road  leading  through  an 
orchard. 

"Halloa,  halloa !"  he  kept  shouting.  "Help,  help ! 
A  man  is  injured  and  dying  by  the  roadside !  Halloa, 
halloa!" 

The  path  was  so  indistinct  that  he  soon  lost  it 
and  ran  aimlessly  among  the  trees,  sometimes  strik 
ing  the  low  branches  which  let  loose  a  shower  of 
water,  and  again  coming  up  against  the  trunk  of 
a  tree  with  a  bump  that  sent  him  sprawling  to  the 
ground.  He  continued  to  shout  until  his  voice  be 
came  husky  and  he  was  compelled  to  partially  cease 
his  cries.  After  an  hour's  fruitless  search,  he  sud 
denly  came  upon  a  hedge,  which  he  turned  and 
followed,  hoping  it  would  lead  to  the  entrance  into 


Cbe  Spotter,  219 


the  highway.  At  last  he  came  to  an  opening,  but 
found  therein  a  gate.  This  he  surmounted,  landing 
in  a  field  planted  with  vegetables,  between  the  rows 
of  which  were  muddy  pools  that  came  to  the  tops 
of  his  shoes  when  he  attempted  to  press  forward. 

Realizing  that  he  could  make  no  progress,  Wheeler 
returned  to  the  hedge  and  crept  shivering  under  its 
thick  branches  to  shield  himself  from  the  storm, 
which  had  increased  in  intensity.  He  then  began 
to  review  in  sequence  each  event  of  the  day  and  night 
and  had  not  proceeded  far  in  this  analysis  before 
the  truth  burst  upon  him. 

"Fool!  dolt!  idiot!"  he  exclaimed,  striking  his 
head  with  his  clenched  fist.  "I  have  been  played 
like  a  damned  imbecile,  and  they've  landed  me.  I 
am  not  fit  to  be  called  a  man  —  a  weak,  silly  calf! 
Faugh  !"  and  he  launched  forth  a  volley  of  oaths  that 
had  neither  connection  nor  relevancy.  "Jeannette  !" 
and  his  teeth  bit  together  with  a  snap.  "Bah,  how 
the  wench  wheedled  me  —  Eli  Wheeler,  who  turned 
for  Lanphere  the  trick  on  the  independents  and 
fooled  the  best  men  in  three  states."  He  struck  his 
fists  into  the  thorny  branches  and  took  comfort  in 
the  fact  that  the  backs  of  his  hands  were  bleeding. 

"The  whole  thing  was  put  up,  and  Betsey  was  as 
deep  in  it  as  any  of  them  —  probably  Cameron,  too  — 
and  I  am  robbed,  fleeced,  turned  into  a  field  like 
the  ass  that  I  am,  without  a  sou  ;  to  freeze,  or  starve, 
or  drown  in  the  mud,  or  to  go  to  hell  !"  Again  he 


220  Cfte 

gave  way  to  the  most  fearful  and  meaningless  oaths. 

When  he  tired  of  cursing,  Wheeler  looked  about 
him  to  notice  by  dim  outlines  that  dawn  was  ap 
proaching.  He  found  the  gate  and  leaped  it  at  a 
bound.  Following  a  cart  track  he  ran  through  the 
orchard  and  finally  came  upon  the  opening  through 
which  he  must  have  passed  under  Jules  LeGarde's 
directions.  Turning  to  the  right  he  continued  to 
run  along  the  highway,  and  at  length  came  upon 
a  spot  which  he  recognized  by  the  marks  of  the  car 
riage  wheels  and  tramping  of  horses'  feet  as  the 
scene  of  the  fictitious  accident.  He  noticed  that  for 
some  distance  the  carriage  had  been  driven  outside 
the  beaten  track  that  there  might  be  color  for  the 
claim  that  the  driver  had  been  jolted  from  his  place 
by  the  character  of  the  road.  In  the  soft  soil  he 
discovered  the  print  of  Jeannette's  shoes  beside  the 
tracks  of  heavier  boots.  These  he  stamped  upon 
like  one  possessed  of  a  desire  for  some  sort  of 
revenge.  Here  the  injured  driver  had  lain,  and 
Wheeler  picked  up  stones  and  hurled  them  with 
curses  at  the  spot. 

Finally  the  spasm  of  anger  exhausted  itself  and 
Wheeler  took  notice  of  his  surroundings.  On  the 
side  of  the  highway  opposite  the  orchard  and  field 
which  he  had  entered,  Wheeler  saw  a  peasant's  house 
and  other  farm  buildings.  Numbed,  beaten,  dejected, 
and  without  purpose  he  made  his  way  thither.  The 
door  to  which  he  came  was  fastened  with  a  clumsy 


Cfje  Spotter*  221 


latch  of  wood,  which  Wheeler  lifted  from  its  place. 
Without  knocking,  he  pushed  forward  into  a  low 
room,  littered  with  furniture  and  household  utensils, 
barely  discernible  in  the  dim  light.  At  the  further 
side  of  the  room  he  saw  the  outlines  of  a  couch,  and 
this  he  approached  with  the  one  desire  to  throw  him 
self  upon  some  place  that  promised  rest. 

But  as  he  came  to  the  side  of  the  couch  he  saw  a 
man  lying  there  —  a  man  whose  head  was  bandaged  — 
covered  with  a  clean,  warm  blanket,  sleeping  like 
a  child. 

Wheeler  bent  forward  to  peer  into  the  face,  but 
started  back  as  though  he  had  been  dealt  a  blow. 
He  was  looking  upon  Duncan  Cameron. 

Cameron!  the  hound  who  had  dogged  him  to 
Paris,  who  had  threatened  him,  who  no  doubt  played 
upon  the  cupidity  of  the  LeGardes  and  told  them 
enough  of  Wheeler's  history  to  put  into  their  hands 
a  weapon  by  which  they  could  extort  money;  Cam 
eron,  who  had  come  upon  him  when  he  was  so  secure 
and  comfortable  and  was  on  the  eve  of  further  suc 
cess;  Cameron,  who  may  have  been  a  party  to  the 
plot  through  which  Wheeler  had  been  plucked  ;  Cam 
eron,  who,  now  that  Wheeler's  wife  had  escaped 
him  -  ! 

Curse  the  poor,  blind  fool  of  a  meddler  who  had 
played  a  game  of  such  obstinate  resistance  to  the 
Cygnet  and  who  might  yet  accomplish  much  greater 
harm! 


222  Cfte  Spotter, 

Wheeler  was  neither  cold,  nor  weak,  nor  trembling 
now.  Anger,  hatred,  and  revenge  thrilled  him  like 
an  electric  shock.  He  had  been  fooled,  cajoled,  rob 
bed;  but  now  he  would  get  his  pay.  He  listened, 
but  no  sound  came  to  his  ears  save  the  regular 
breathing  of  the  man  on  the  couch,  and  the  drip 
of  the  eaves.  There  might  be  other  people  in  the 
house — no  doubt  the  LeGardes — but  they  were  in 
the  rooms  beyond  and  were  sleeping.  Why  hesi 
tate?  In  a  moment  he  can  be  free  from  this  man 
forever,  and  in  another  moment  he  can  be  back  there 
upon  the  highway.  The  household  may  not  awaken 
in  an  hour,  and  another  hour  may  pass  before  any 
thing  is  discovered.  Even  then  there  will  be  no 
reason  why  he  should  be  suspected.  Why  hesitate? 

He  looked  about  the  room  for  a  weapon  and  his 
eyes  rested  upon  a  heavy  iron  skillet  with  a  long 
handle.  Stilling  his  breath,  Wheeler  sank  to  his 
hands  and  knees  and  crept  upon  the  floor  lest  his 
steps  would  cause  the  boards  to  creak  and  awaken 
his  victim.  He  poised  the  weapon  in  his  hand  and 
smiled  to  find  that  it  was  not  unlike  a  maul,  with 
which  he  could  deal  one  swift,  effective  blow.  Then, 
with  muscles  tense  as  steel,  he  made  his  way  slowly 
toward  Cameron,  ready  each  instant  to  overleap  the 
remaining  distance  if  a  movement  gave  warning 
that  the  sleeping  man  was  about  to  arouse.  When 
he  came  to  the  side  of  the  couch,  watching  Cameron's 
face  with  an  intensity  that  must  have  penetrated  the 


223 

veil  of  sleep  and  startled  the  dormant  senses  from 
their  lethargy,  Wheeler  drew  himself  to  full  height 
and  swung  the  weapon  above  his  head. 

A  dark  object  leaped  through  an  opening  which 
Wheeler  had  not  observed  in  the  ceiling  of  the  room, 
and  before  his  blow  could  fall,  the  man  who  never 
before  that  moment  came  so  near  committing  a 
cowardly  murder  was  crushed  down  upon  the  floor. 
So  sudden  and  violent  was  the  attack  that  an  appreci 
able  space  elapsed  before  Wheeler  realized  what  had 
happened.  He  found  himself  in  the  grasp  of  a 
peasant  whose  face  was  nearly  concealed  by  its  heavy 
beard  and  whose  eyes  blazed  with  an  anger  that  was 
not  comfortable  to  behold.  The  peasant  was  of  low 
stature,  but  heavy,  compact  frame,  and  the  hand 
which  in  no  ungentle  manner  pushed  Wheeler  back 
upon  the  floor  when  he  attempted  to  sit  up,  was  of 
enormous  size  and  as  hard  as  the  hoof  of  a  horse. 

Cameron,  awakened  by  the  clang  of  the  falling 
skillet  and  the  plunge  of  the  men  upon  the  floor, 
reclined  on  his  elbow  and  looked  wonderingly  at 
Wheeler  and  his  captor. 

"Does  monsieur  know  the  assassin?"  asked  the 
peasant. 

There  was  the  appearance  half  of  recognition  and 
wondering  doubt  in  Cameron's  face  as  he  looked 
at  Wheeler.  Twice  he  started  to  speak,  and  each 
time  shook  his  head  and  bent  his  brows  as  in  the 
effort  to  recall  something  that  had  escaped  his  recol- 


224 


lection.  He  shuddered  and  sank  back  upon  his  pil 
low. 

uNb/'  he  finally  replied.  "I  have  seen  him  only 
in  my  dreams.  I  do  not  like  to  see  him,  and  I  am 
wondering  why  you  keep  him  here.  What  has  he 
been  doing,  Gaspard,  that  makes  you  hold  him  by 
the  throat?" 

"Nothing,  monsieur.  It  is  only  what  he  tried  to 
do.  Come"  —  to  Wheeler  —  "y°u  are  no  company 
for  a  man  who  is  ill." 

The  peasant  dragged  Wheeler  to  his  feet,  and 
with  that  vice-like  grip  still  upon  his  prisoner's 
throat,  led  him  from  the  room.  There  was  nothing 
tender  about  the  manner  in  which  Wheeler  was  con 
ducted  to  a  building  used  as  a  granary,  and  which 
was  one  of  the  several  wings  of  the  house,  extend 
ing  toward  the  barn.  It  was  unlighted,  except 
by  several  small  openings  near  the  roof;  but 
this  was  not  a  matter  of  concern  to  the  man  im 
prisoned  there.  He  heard  the  bar  drop  into  place 
outside  the  door  which  was  shut  upon  him,  and  in 
a  condition  bordering  upon  collapse  he  sank  upon 
some  sacks  of  grain  and  almost  immediately  fell 
asleep. 

Hours  later,  Gaspard's  rough  blows  and  shouts 
aroused  him  and  he  partook  of  food  and  drink.  The 
peasant  remained  while  Wheeler  ate,  ravenously, 
for  he  was  nearly  famished,  but  spoke  no  words. 
When  the  meal  was  finished,  Gaspard  directed  that 


Spotter*  225 

his  prisoner  follow,  and  he  led  to  the  highway.  Here 
he  gave  to  Wheeler  a  handful  of  silver,  and  with  a 
wave  of  his  hand  toward  the  west,  said  in  a  tone 
that  could  not  be  mistaken,  "To  Havre." 

"To  Havre?"  asked  Wheeler  in  astonishment. 
"What  do  you  mean?  I  have  no  desire  to  go  to 
Havre.  I  tell  you,  as  I  attempted  to  make  you 
understand  before,  that  I  have  been  robbed  of  large 
treasure,  and  I  demand  to  know  why  I  have  been 
kept  a  prisoner  throughout  the  day,  thus  giving  the 
thieves  time  to  escape  ?" 

"Monsieur,  I  know  nothing  of  robbery.  I  know 
only  of  an  attempted  murder." 

"It  is  a  lie,"  declared  Wheeler,  stepping  out  of 
the  Frenchman's  reach,  for  he  had  no  desire  to  feel 
again  that  hard  hand  at  his  throat.  "The  man  in 
your  house  is  one  of  those  concerned  in  my  robbery. 
I  meant  to  injure  him,  as  I  had  a  right,  to  make  sure 
of  his  capture." 

"This  is  a  foolish  tale,  monsieur,  for  he  whom 
you  attacked  had  not  risen  from  his  couch  through 
the  day  or  night.  He  was  injured  in  an  accident  of 
which  you  may  have  some  knowledge,  and  has 
neither  strength  nor  mind  to  sustain  him  in  an  expe 
dition  of  robbery." 

"I  insist  that  the  authorities  be  summoned  and 
that  steps  be  taken  to  apprehend  those  who  have 
stripped  me  of  all  I  possess.  Surely  in  France  there 
imust  be  some  measure  of  justice." 


226  Cfte  Spotter* 

"So  there  is,  monsieur,  if  you  will  have  it ;  so  there 
is,  and  Gaspard  LeBoyne  will  see  that  you  get  it.  I 
am  an  honest  peasant,  who  has  some  knowledge  of 
healing,  living  upon  my  own  lands.  To  my  house 
was  brought  before  break  of  day  yesterday  a  man 
with  an  injury  upon  his  head,  and  from  which  his 
full  recovery  is  in  doubt.  I  promised  to  give  him 
the  benefit  of  my  skill  and  my  poor  care  and  pro 
tection,  and  he  was  placed  in  my  charge. 

"This  morning  at  daybreak,  monsieur  enters  my 
house,  unbidden,  and  recognizes  in  my  charge  his 
enemy,  whom  he  has  traced  here  in  some  unknown 
manner.  If  monsieur  saw  in  this,  my  charge,  a 
thief  and  robber,  why  did  he  not  wait  and  demand 
of  the  authorities  his  arrest?  Did  the  sleeping  man 
threaten  monsieur  ?  Was  monsieur  in  peril  of  his 
life  ?  Or,  did  not  monsieur  have  time  to  creep  along 
the  floor  and  select  a  weapon  and  then  in  the  same 
manner  come  again  to  the  bedside  of  his  enemy  and 
rise  to  strike  him  dead  ?" 

The  peasant  waited  a  moment  for  Wheeler  to 
answer,  but  as  there  was  no  reply,  he  continued: 

"If  monsieur  will  go  with  me  to  the  Prefect  at 
Mantes,  we  will  each  tell  his  story,  and  let  justice 
be  done — for  there  is  justice  in  France." 

Realizing  that  a  chain  of  circumstances  had  been 
woven  about  him  from  which  he  could  not  escape, 
and  fearing  that  by  this  time  the  authorities  in  Paris 
might  be  upon  his  track,  Wheeler  saw  no  course  open 


Cfje  Spotter,  227 

except  to  make  his  way  to  Havre  and  secure  passage 
thence  to  America  through  some  means  not  at  present 
clear.  Without  a  word  of  reply,  he  accepted  the 
silver  offered  by  the  peasant,  and  started  forward 
upon  his  journey. 


228  Cfte  ^potter. 


CHAPTEE  XXIV. 

A  SEQUEL  TO  THE  COMEDY. 

THE  American  Minister  was  awaiting  the  arrival 
of  Mrs.  Wheeler  and  Mr.  Fisher  with  some  knowl 
edge  of  the  story  they  had  to  tell.  Ellis  had  put 
him  in  possession  of  the  main  facts,  and  with  no 
small  indignation  he  gathered  the  full  details  of  the 
disappearance  of  Cameron. 

"It  is  monstrous,  Mr.  Fisher,"  he  said  when  the 
recital  was  concluded,  "and  I  shall  lose  no  time  in 
acquainting  the  authorities  with  the  full  story.  No 
doubt  they  will  desire  to  have  the  recital  first-handed 
from  Mrs.  Wheeler,  and  if  you  will  kindly  remain 
a  short  time  the  consultation  may  take  place  here." 

In  half-an-hour  Mrs.  Wheeler  and  her  escort  were 
summoned  to  one  of  the  offices,  and  in  answer  to 
many  questions,  propounded  to  them  through  an 
interpreter,  they  gave  the  police  such  information 
as  they  possessed. 

The  following  forenoon  they  went  again  to  the 
Legation  and  from  the  Minister  learned  that  a  re 
port  had  been  made  to  him  the  evening  before.  It 


C6e  Spotter,  229 

was  to  the  effect  that  M.  Eli  Wheeler,  alias  M.  Cyrus 
White,  had  disappeared.  With  him  had  gone  the 
LeGardes,  Henri,  Jules  and  the  girl  Jeannette.  The 
office  of  M.  Wheeler  had  been  visited,  but  it  con 
tained  nothing  beyond  a  litter  of  papers  of  no  ap 
parent  bearing  on  the  case  except  to  disclose  that 
there  had  been  a  hasty  flight.  The  apartments  occu 
pied  by  M.  Wheeler  and  madame  had  also  been  under 
examination  and  were  now  watched.  Some  furnish 
ings  of  considerable  value  remained,  along  with  a 
quantity  of  clothing,  evidently  madame's,  but  all 
portable  articles  of  value  were  missing.  The  police 
learned  that  these  were  taken  away  by  persons  under 
the  direction  of  Jeannette  who  held  the  warrant  of 
monsieur  for  their  removal. 

The  search  was  to  be  continued.  Madame  was 
advised  to  go  about  the  city  freely  in  company  with 
her  friends  and  to  have  no  fears,  as  an  agent  of  the 
secret  service  would  be  near  her  constantly  to  observe 
any  suspicious  characters  who  might  approach  her. 

So  the  trio  settled  down  to  the  enjoyment  of  Paris 
and  for  nearly  a  fortnight  they  experienced  much 
pleasure  in  daily  excursions  about  the  city.  One 
morning  Mr.  Fisher  found  in  his  mail  a  letter  post 
marked  the  afternoon  before  and  addressed  to  Mrs. 
Wheeler.  She  opened  it  with  no  little  curiosity 
and  read: 

"Madame : 

"The  comedy  which  began  in  your  apartments  had 


230 


scenes  in  which  you  were  not  permitted  to  partici 
pate  and  of  which  you  cannot  have  heard. 

"Monsieur  found  that  it  would  be  necessary  for 
him  to  leave  Paris,  and  I  was  appointed  to  ac 
company  him  some  distance  upon  his  journey.  Our 
course  took  us  over  a  lonely  highway  at  dead  of 
night,  and  while  we  were  riding  thus,  monsieur  with 
great  fervor  implored  me  to  consent  to  a  change  of 
plans  and  join  him  in  a  flight  from  France.  I  chided 
him  for  his  desertion  of  you,  when  he  became  melo 
dramatic  and  swore  that  you  were  not  his  wife.  I 
charged  him  with  an  attempt  to  likewise  deceive 
me,  and  10  prove  his  earnestness  he  began  to  thrust 
into  my  hands  the  money  which  he  had  taken  with 
him  in  his  escape  from  Paris,  saying  I  should  keep  it 
until  he  had  made  me  his  wife. 

"Ah,  madame,  it  was  like  no  scene  in  comedy  you 
have  ever  beheld. 

"But  then  came  the  climax.  The  driver  of  our  car 
riage  was  my  brother  Jules,  and  he  is  an  actor  of 
no  mean  ability.  Monsieur  was  led  to  believe  that 
an  accident  had  befallen  and  that  the  driver  was  dan 
gerously  injured  through  a  fall  in  the  road.  Would 
monsieur  seek  help  ?  Ah,  he  hesitated.  Was  help 
near?  Yes  a  short  distance  along  the  road  was  the 
house  of  a  peasant  —  and  the  poor  driver  was  in  such 
pain,  moaning  and  mumbling  his  prayers  together, 
and  crying  out  in  agony  to  keep  from  laughter. 


Cjje  Spotter,  231 

Monsieur  would  go,  and  I  would  stay  by  the  suffer 
ing  man,  who  might  die  in  the  darkness ! 

"And  so  monsieur  ran  away  with  a  hedge  to  guide 
him,  on  the  wildest  chase  man  ever  took,  leaving  the 
girl  whom  he  had  sworn  to  marry,  and  the  princely 
dowry  which  he  thrust  into  her  lap — leaving  her  to 
be  kissed  and  praised  by  her  brother  Jules,  to  be 
kissed  and  petted  by  her  lover  Henri,  who  all  the 
time  was  at  hand  to  give  assistance  should  it  be 
required. 

"The  comedy  ended,  madame,  when  monsieur  made 
his  way  with  a  few  sous  in  his  pocket  to  Havre  and 
took  passage  for  America  upon  one  of  the  vessels 
engaged  in  freighting  for  the  company  which  he 
represented. 

"You  desire  to  know  what  became  of  M.  Cameron. 
He  was  injured  in  an  encounter  with  M.  Wheeler 
at  La  Vintage,  and  Henri  and  Jules  were  employed 
to  convey  him  upon  the  Seine  and  leave  him  to  his 
fate.  However,  they  saved  his  life  and  concealed  him 
until  he  was  able  to  travel,  when  he  was  put  upon 
a  vessel  bound  for  Scotland.  He  was  provided  with 
funds  to  reach  his  old  home  and  to  sustain  him  for 
a  long  time  after  his  arrival  there.  Though  physic 
ally  well,  M.  Cameron  has  not  regained  his  memory, 
and  he  imagines  himself  still  a  young  man  who  has 
never  been  away  from  Scotland  until  in  some  mys 
terious  manner  he  was  brought  to  France.  The 


232  Cije 

skilled  man  who  tenderly  cared  for  him  says  that  he 
may  never  recover. 

"This  letter  comes  to  Paris  by  the  hand  of  a  friend 
and  will  reach  you  through  the  mail.  You  may  show 
it  freely  to  the  police,  for  there  is  no  danger  that 
it  will  betray  the  place  where  we  are  now  very 
secure  and  happy. 

"Madame,  farewell.  Jeannette." 

"Well,  I'll  be  dummed,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Fisher, 
rubbing  his  hands  with  glee  as  Mrs.  Wheeler  finished 
reading  the  letter.  "If  the  Frenchers  haven't  given 
Eli  Wheeler  a  dose  of  his  own  medicine,  then  I'm  a 
Seneca  Indian." 

"Why,  what  has  happened  to  him?"  asked  Mrs. 
Fisher.  "I  don't  understand  the  woman's  letter." 

"What  has  happened  to  Eli?  They've  robbed 
him,  Mrs.  Fisher — cleaned  him  out  as  slick  as  a 
whistle  and  scared  him  so  that  he  dassent  come  back 
to  Paris.  Then  they've  turned  him  loose  to  make 
his  way  to  Havre,  where  he  begged  his  way  back  to 
America  on  one  of  Lanphere's  oil  ships.  It's  jest 
one  of  them  cases  that  old  Dominie  Perkins  out  in 
Bradan  would  call  'righteous  retribution,  or  fit  pun 
ishment  for  a  mean  sinner.'  I'd  give  fifty  dollars 
to  stand  at  Tompkins'  Cove  when  that  freighter  gets 
in  so  that  I  could  ask  Eli  how  he  liked  his  voyage.'* 

Mrs.  Wheeler  paid  little  heed  to  what  Mr.  Fisher 
said,  and  when  he  turned  laughing  toward  her,  he 


233 

noticed  that  her  face  was  grave  and  that  she  was 
still  bent  over  the  open  letter. 

"Why,  Betsey,  you  ain't  regrettin'  the  little  run 
for  his  money  the  polly  vouz  give  Eli,  are  ye  ?" 

She  smiled  quickly.  "No,  Mr.  Fisher,  I  scarcely 
thought  of  it.  What  troubles  me  is  this  that  Jean- 
nette  has  written  about  Mr.  Cameron." 

Mr.  Fisher  was  sobered  in  an  instant.  "Cameron, 
bless  me,  that's  so.  I  was  so  pleased  to  hear  about 
Wheeler  getting  his  cummings  that  I  forgot  poor 
Cameron.  Gone  back  to  his  old  home  in  Scotland — 
lost  his  memory — thinks  he's  a  boy,  and  don't  remem 
ber  anything  since  that  time!  Say,"  he  said,  start 
ing  up  as  though  ready  for  instant  departure,  "do 
you  know  where  in  Scotland  Cameron's  old  home 
is?" 

"I  do  not,"  replied  Mrs.  Wheeler.  "I  think  I 
have  heard  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cameron  both  speak  about 
the  village,  but  I  have  forgotten  its  name." 

Mr.  Fisher  whistled  a  few  notes  of  "John  Brown," 
the  only  tune  he  knew.  "!N"ow  we  have  brought  up 
against  a  snubbin'  post  for  sure.  Scotland's  got  more 
dum  little  towns  than  Pennsylvania,  and  we  can't  look 
into  each  one  for  Cameron,"  and  he  continued  the 
tune  on  the  note  upon  which  he  had  stopped,  but  only 
to  go  half-way  through  a  bar.  Again  he  stopped  in 
the  middle  of  a  note  and  let  the  pucker  of  his  lips 
broaden  out  into  a  smile.  "Why,  we'll  write  to  Sam 
Edgert  and  tell  him  all  about  it,  and  he'll  send  an 


234  Cfje  Spotter, 

answer  to  Edinburgh.     We'll  have  Cameron  in  less 
than  a  month." 

So  while  Mr.  Fisher  hurried  away  to  the  Legation 
to  lay  before  the  Minister  and  police  authorities  the 
letter  from  Jeannette,  Mrs.  Wheeler  wrote  such  an 
account  of  events  as  would  be  necessary  for  Mr. 
Edgert's  information.  A  few  characteristic  sentences 
were  added  by  Mr.  Eisher  on  his  return,  and  that 
evening  the  letter  was  upon  its  way.  The  next  after 
noon  saw  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eisher  and  Mrs.  Wheeler 
speeding  toward  the  Scottish  city. 


C6e  Spotter,  235 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

IN  THE  BOYHOOD  HOME. 

THEY  came  upon  Duncan  Cameron  near  the  little 
village  of  Dunoon  on  the  rocky  western  coast  of  the 
Firth  of  Clyde.  Before  meeting  him  they  were 
warned  by  sympathetic  townspeople  and  neighbors 
that  he  was  "JsTocht  but  a  puir  lad  wi'  na  min'  o'  the 
years  syne  he  went  oot  and  canna  talk  about  onything 
that  befell  him." 

It  was  learned  that  Cameron  appeared  at  the  vil 
lage  one  afternoon  carrying  a  small  bundle  of  cloth 
ing  slung  on  a  stick  over  his  shoulder.  He  greeted 
some  of  the  men  and  women  as  children  and  called 
them  by  the  names  they  bore  in  childhood.  When 
inquiry  was  made  as  to  where  he  had  been,  he  replied 
that  he  had  been  to  France,  and  a  strange  and  troub 
led  look  came  upon  his  face.  Realizing  that 
mystery  clouded  his  past,  they  refrained  from  ques 
tions,  and  Cameron,  after  lingering  in  the  village  a 
short  time,  continued  his  journey  to  the  little  farm 
formerly  occupied  by  his  parents.  The  present 
holders  of  the  place  he  regarded  as  interlopers,  and 


236  Cfte 

so  vigorously  did  he  protest  against  their  usurpation 
that  the  farmer  was  upon  the  point  of  setting  the  dog 
to  drive  away  one  whom  he  thought  either  drunk  or 
crazy. 

The  minister,  who  was  one  of  Duncan's  classmates 
in  college,  chanced  to  learn  in  the  village  of  the  mys 
terious  return  of  his  old  friend,  and  followed  him  im 
mediately  to  the  Cameron  homestead,  arriving  just 
in  time  to  rescue  Duncan  from  the  indignity  and 
danger  with  which  he  was  threatened.  Through  the 
exercise  of  considerable  tact,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Purdee 
induced  Duncan  to  return  with  him  to  the  manse, 
and  after  a  few  days  of  careful  watching  and  the 
giving  of  many  evasive  answers  to  the  questions 
asked,  Cameron  was  brought  to  understand  that  great 
changes  had  taken  place  in  the  time  spent  by  him 
in  France.  He  became  entirely  tractable,  and  upon 
expressing  a  desire  to  be  permitted  to  live  in  his  old 
home,  arrangements  for  his  care  were  made  with 
the  McLouths,  who  held  the  farm.  In  the  weeks  that 
followed,  he  became  quite  accustomed  to  his  sur 
roundings. 

Before  they  saw  Cameron,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher 
and  Mrs.  Wheeler  held  long  conferences  with  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Purdee  and  Dr.  William  Ross,  the  local 
practitioner.  Dr.  Ross  was  absent  at  the  time  of 
Cameron's  appearance,  and  did  not  reach  Dunoon 
until  the  same  day  that  saw  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Fisher 
and  the  ladies.  When  all  the  facts  had  been  told 


Cfie  Spotter,  237 


him,  he  was  asked  if  it  were  probable  that  anything 
could  be  done  to  restore  the  reason  of  the  man  in 
whom  they  were  so  greatly  interested. 

"Of  course  that  may  be  determined  only  after 
examination  and  a  careful  study  of  the  case,"  said 
Dr.  Ross.  "We  do  not  know  what  has  caused  his 
loss  of  memory.  When  Mrs.  Wheeler  met  Cameron 
in  Paris,  he  recognized  her,  as  he  did  her  hus 
band;  so  we  may  conclude  that  he  was  in  normal 
mind  until  he  met  with  the  injury  in  the  encounter 
referred  to  by  the  French  woman  in  her  letter  to 
Mrs.  Wheeler.  This  injury  may  have  been  a  blow 
upon  the  head,  causing  either  a  slight  fracture  or  a 
depression  of  the  skull  and  resulting  in  a  pressure 
upon  the  brain.  If  the  latter,  time  may  effect  a 
cure;  or  it  may  be  necessary  to  resort  to  surgery. 
Very  remarkable  instances  of  recovery  from  injury 
of  this  nature  are  reported,  and  this  one  promises  to 
be  as  full  of  interest  as  any  of  them.  If  his  gen 
eral  health  is  good,  I  do  not  believe  that  Cameron's 
condition  is  entirely  hopeless." 

"Do  you  think,  Doctor,  that  if  Cameron  were 
brought  face-to-face  with  these  friends  of  more  recent 
years,  or  should  see  his  wife  and  daughter  and  the 
familiar  sights  around  his  home  in  America,  that  his 
memory  would  return?"  asked  the  minister. 

"Probably  not  at  first.  But  to  venture  an  opinion 
before  I  have  seen  Duncan  and  learned  more  about 


238  CJje  Spotter, 

his  condition  would  be  like  a  leap  in  the  dark,"  re 
plied  Dr.  Ross. 

Mr.  Fisher  could  not  believe  that  Cameron  would 
fail  to  know  him  at  sight.  "I  want  to  walk  right 
up  to  him  and  say,  'Duncan  Cameron,  here's  an  old 
neighbor,  Arad  Fisher,  come  to  take  youns  home  to 
youns'  wife  and  daughter  Agnes,  and  to  stand  by 
with  his  last  penny  till  youns  git  back  with  interest 
what  the  Cygnet  Oil  Company  stole  from  youns  like 
a  sneak.  Shake!'  I'll  bet  a  dollar  it'll  bring  him 
to  his  senses." 

"Physically,  he  appears  to  be  entirely  well,"  said 
Mr.  Purdee,  "and  as  rugged  and  strong  as  ever.  Do 
you  think  the  trial  Mr.  Fisher  proposed  would  do 
him  any  harm,  doctor?" 

"No;  on  the  contrary,  I  would  advise  it,  and  I 
wish  to  be  present  and  note  the  effect." 

It  was  arranged  that  the  four  should  drive  out  to 
the  McLouth  place,  Mrs.  Fisher  remaining  in  the 
village,  and  they  were  soon  upon  their  way.  The 
road,  for  about  two  miles,  led  along  the  coast,  and 
when  it  skirted  the  little  bays  and  inlets  which  the 
waves  had  eaten  in  the  land,  like  irregular  teeth  of 
a  gigantic  saw,  they  came  frequently  upon  groups  of 
fishermen  who  were  landing  with  the  catch  of  the 
forenoon.  As  they  neared  the  McLouth  farm,  which 
was  all  snugly  tucked  away  in  a  little  valley  which 
swept  back  from  the  Firth  with  rapidly  narrowing 


Cfte  Spotter,  239 


sides  until  it  ended  in  a  rocky  glen,  they  heard  a 
shout,  and  the  carriage  was  brought  to  a  halt. 

"Davie  Purdee,  Davie  Purdee!"  came  the  voice, 
"wait  a  bit  and  see  the  luck  I  have  had  with  my 
fishing." 

Looking  in  the  direction  of  the  voice,  they  saw 
Duncan  running  toward  them,  carrying  a  basket 
filled  with  cool,  glistening  fish  which  had  recently 
come  from  the  water. 

"Ah,  Duncan,  lad,"  said  Mr.  Purdee,  "we  were 
on  our  way  in  search  of  you.  Here  are  some  old 
friends  whom  you  will  be  glad  to  see." 

Cameron  paused  as  he  neared  the  carriage,  and 
into  his  face  came  a  puzzled,  wondering  expression 
as  he  glanced  from  one  to  another. 

"Old  friends  ?  I  know  none  here  except  you, 
Davie.  And  yet  —  yes,  is  this  not  Willie  Ross,  from 
beyond  Inverchaolin  ?  Sure,  it  is  Willie.  But,  lad, 
how  is  it  you  have  grown  a  beard  and  come  to  look 
like  a  man,  the  same  as  Davie,  here,  and  the  same  as 
I  see  myself  when  I  look  in  a  glass  ?"  He  stood  a 
moment,  looking  wonderingly  into  the  face  of  his 
old  friend,  and  then  turned  to  the  minister  with  a 
pathetic  gesture.  "Davie,  what  does  it  all  mean,  lad  ? 
Why  all  this  mystery?" 

"What  mystery,  Duncan?    I  see  nothing  strange." 

"Ah,  but  it  is  strange  —  everything  is  strange,  and 
I  cannot  fathom  the  depths.  Here  am  I  a  man, 
who  was  but  a  lad  in  the  near  past.  You,  Davie, 


240  C6e 

who  were  in  college  with  me  last  year,  now  of  family 
and  the  parson  of  the  kirk  in  town.  Willie  Ross,  a 
wee  runt  with  a  freckled  face,  comes  out  the  next 
spring  looking  like  another  parson,  or  a  doctor. 
Everybody  has  grown  old  in  a  few  weeks.  Bairns 
whom  I  do  not  know  are  calling  'faither'  and 
'mither'  to  lads  and  lasses  with  whom  I  was  familiar 
just  anon.  The  old  town  has  changed ;  the  buildings 
have  grown  older  with  all  the  rest,  but  a  few  new 
ones  have  come  suddenly  into  existence  beside  the 
familiar  ones.  What — what  does  it  mean  ?  Tell  me, 
Davie— or  you,  Willie  Ross,  tell  me,  if  you  would  not 
have  me  go  daft  with  the  weight  of  it." 

There  was  piteous  pleading  in  his  voice  and  man 
ner;  a  note  of  despair  in  his  accents.  Mr.  Fisher 
turned  his  head  to  hide  the  tears  that  coursed  down 
his  cheeks.  Mrs.  Wheeler  leaned  back  in  the  car 
riage,  white  and  silent,  her  face  tender  and  beauti 
ful  with  the  great  pity  that  welled  up  from  her 
heart. 

Dr.  Ross  stepped  from  the  carriage  and  took  Cam 
eron's  hand. 

"You  tell  me  about  it,  Duncan,  lad,"  said  the  doc 
tor  as  he  gently  urged  Cameron  to  sit  on  a  moss- 
covered  rock  and  then  took  his  place  beside  him  and 
twined  his  arm  over  Duncan's  shoulder.  "I  have 
just  come  back  to  Dunoon  from  a  month's  stay  in  a 
London  hospital,  and  I  have  not  heard  your  story, 
Duncan.  Tell  it,  lad." 


Cjbe  ^potter,  241 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

WHERE   ARE   THE    VANISHED   YEARS  ? 

CAMERON  looked  about  him  as  though  attempting 
to  collect  his  thoughts.  His  eyes  for  a  moment  rested 
upon  Mr.  Fisher,  and  those  who  were  watching 
expected  he  would  speak;  but  he  shook  his  head 
sadly  and  murmured  to  himself. 

"And  will  you  help  me,  Willie  Ross,  to  clear  some 
thing  that  is  clouding  my  mind  ?"  he  asked  suddenly. 

"Aye,  that  I  will,  Duncan,  if  it  is  in  my  power. 
And  these  here  will  help  you,  for  each  one  has  some 
thing  to  say  after  you  have  told  all  you  can  remem 
ber." 

"It  was  this  way,"  he  began.  "I  recall  that  for 
a  long  time  I  felt  great  heaviness  upon  my  head.  I 
could  not  throw  it  off,  nor  could  I  awaken  from  a 
sleep  that  held  me  so  closely  that  I  knew  nothing 
of  my  surroundings — only  the  weight  that  crushed 
me  down.  Then,  after  what  seemed  to  be  the  lapse 
of  years,  the  weight  decreased — slowly  at  first,  but 
in  time  more  rapidly  until  all  at  once  I  made  a 
mighty  effort  and  broke  loose  from  it  in  a  moment. 


242  Cfre  Spotter* 

"I  found  myself  sitting  upright  on  a  couch  in  a 
large  room  with  a  low  ceiling  and  the  floor  littered 
with  household  utensils  which  I  never  before  had 
seen.  Everything  was  unfamiliar;  I  was  clad  in  a 
night-robe  that  was  not  my  own ;  beside  the  couch  was 
a  stand  upon  which  there  were  some  glasses  of  medi 
cine;  there  was  a  bandage  upon  my  head  which  was 
wet  with  some  lotion. 

"I  thought  myself  in  a  dream,  for  when  I  had 
gone  to  bed  I  was  here  in  my  home  with  my  father 
and  mother,  and  it  was  the  school  vacation  of  the 
summer.  In  the  evening  before  there  had  been  a 
great  storm  and  the  lightning  was  most  vivid.  I  sat 
with  my  father  on  the  little  porch,  the  rain  splashing 
upon  our  bare  feet,  when  there  came  a  blinding  flash 
and  a  loud  report  at  the  same  instant.  The  stool 
upon  which  I  sat  was  thrown  over  and  I  fell,  almost 
insensible,  upon  the  edge  of  the  floor  where  the  rain 
from  the  eaves  was  dashing  in  my  face.  My  father 
dragged  me  within  the  house  and,  with  my  mother's 
help,  for  I  was  weak  and  could  aid  them  little,  they 
carried  me  to  my  room  and  put  me  to  bed.  By-and-by 
as  they  sat  watching  and  asking  me  constantly  if  I 
was  comfortable,  I  fell  asleep  and  remember  nothing 
else  until  the  weight  of  which  I  told  you  came  upon 
my  head — and  then  the  strange  room  and  the  un 
familiar  surroundings. 

"I  put  my  hand  to  my  face  in  wonderment  and 
felt  a  beard  growing  upon  the  cheeks  of  a  lad  in 


C&e  ^potter,  243 


his  teens.  I  gazed  upon  my  hands  and  they  were 
those  of  a  man  who  had  toiled,  and  not  those  of  a 
school-boy.  Upon  my  finger  was  this  ring  which  I 
had  never  before  seen  and  which  bears  the  emblem  of 
Freemasonry,  an  order  which,  surely,  I  never  joined. 

"My  brain  swam  with  dizziness,  my  throat  was 
parched  and  husky,  while  over  my  body  broke  a 
perspiration  that  was  as  cold  and  clammy  as  the 
dew  of  death.  I  attempted  to  leap  from  the  couch, 
but  fell  back  with  weakness. 

"As  I  lay  thus,  half-unconscious,  and  wondering 
whether  it  were  a  dream  or  loss  of  reason,  a  man 
came  to  the  couch  and  looked  into  my  face.  He  was 
a  stranger  to  me,  and  though  he  was  rough  and  un 
couth  in  appearance,  he  had  a  kindly  manner  and 
he  placed  his  hand  upon  my  head  with  tenderness. 

"  'Ah,  monsieur,'  he  said  to  me  in  French,  'you 
are  improved  and  are  once  more  yourself.  Good, 
monsieur,  we  soon  will  have  you  up.' 

"The  French  language,  and  still  I  understood  what 
he  said  !  How  did  I  know  his  words  ?  I  was  in  my 
first  term  of  French  and  scarcely  knew  the  rudiments, 
and  yet  I  replied  to  him  in  the  same  tongue  by  asking 
where  I  was  and  how  I  had  come  there. 

"  'You  are  in  the  house  of  a  peasant,  monsieur, 
whom  you  may  call  Gaspard.  You  were  brought 
here  by  two  men  who  found  you  injured,  I  know  not 
how,  in  a  street  in  Paris.  They  were  honest  men, 
monsieur,  and  finding  a  stranger  unconscious  near 


2441  Cjje  Spotter. 

the  Seine,  they  put  you  in  their  boat  and  brought 
hence,  fearing  that  you  might  fall  a  victim  to  foot 
pads  or  robbers.' 

"  How  long  have  I  been  here  ?' 

"  'Since  early  morning,  monsieur/ 

"  'Do  you  know  my  name — who  I  am  ?' 

"  'You  are  an  American — an  American  named 
Cameron.7 

"  'Yes,  I  am  a  Cameron/  I  said  at  length,  'but 
not  an  American.  Indeed,  I  have  never  seen  America, 
for  I  am  but  a  Scotch  lad,  and  my  home  is  at  Dunoon, 
on  the  Firth  of  Clyde.' 

"  'Then  I  am  in  error,  monsieur.  I  have  no  infor 
mation  save  that  secured  from  papers  in  your 
pockets.' 

"I  asked  that  they  be  shown  me,  but  the  peasant 
said  I  must  first  take  some  nourishment,  which  he 
soon  brought.  After  I  had  partaken  of  the  gruel, 
toast  and  eggs,  Gaspard  placed  a  coat  and  waistcoat 
upon  the  couch  and  asked  me  if  they  were  not  mine. 
I  shook  my  head,  for  I  did  not  remember  having 
seen  them  before. 

"  'You  wore  them  when  brought  here,  monsieur.' 

"  'They  are  not  mine,'  I  told  him.  'These  gar 
ments  are  from  the  clothing  of  a  man,  while  I  am 
a  mere  lad.  They  are  travel-stained  and  thread-bare, 
and  have  a  strange  make  and  texture  not  at  all  like 
our  tweeds  and  homespuns.' 

"I  examined  the  papers  which  Gaspard  took  from 


C&e  Spotter,  245 

the  pockets  for  my  inspection.  There  was  my  name, 
and  my  writing,  too,  though  that  was  grown  cramped 
and  angular  like  my  body.  Of  their  contents  I  knew 
nothing,  for  they  were  mostly  memoranda  of  trans 
actions  about  unheard-of  things.  One  of  them  pur 
ported  to  be  an  account  of  the  formation  of  a  co 
partnership  between  Duncan  Cameron  and  one  Eli 
Wheeler  to  carry  on  the  business  of  mining  and  refin 
ing  oil  upon  a  tract  of  land  known  as  the  Cameron 
farm.  Large  sums  of  money  and  capital  stock  are 
mentioned,  but  nothing  is  said  as  to  the  source  from 
which  the  oil  is  to  be  secured,  or  what  kind  of  oil 
is  to  be  produced  and  refined.  The  other  papers  are 
equally  as  perplexing,  for  they  mention  persons, 
places  and  factors  of  which  I  have  no  knowledge. 

"But  the  most  mysterious  thing  of  all,  Willie  Ross, 
is  that  the  numerous  dates  which  the  papers  bear  are 
years  in  the  future !  Noticing  this,  I  asked  Gaspard 
the  year  and  the  day. 

"  'Monsieur,  it  is  October  eleventh,  eighteen  hun 
dred  and  seventy-three/  he  replied. 

"  'Eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-three !  Ah,  my 
God,  man,  why  do  you  deceive  me  ?' 

"  'Monsieur,  it  is  as  I  say.  Be  calm,  for  you  have 
been  very  ill  and  your  hurt  is  a  dangerous  one.  It 
will  all  come  right  in  time,  all  you  have  forgotten  in 
your  illness.' 

"  'Forgotten !  Can  one  go  to  sleep  a  mere  youth 
and  then  in  some  unexplained  way  live  more  than 


246 

twenty  years,  in  which  time  he  travels  to  foreign 
countries,  amasses  property,  engages  in  great  busi 
ness  transactions  and  then  awakens  to  find  himself 
in  a  peasant's  house  in  France,  able  to  converse  in  a 
tongue  which  he  has  not  mastered,  and  having  no 
knowledge  of  all  that  has  intervened  ?  It  is  not  for- 
getfulness,  Gaspard,  it  is  insanity !' 

"Gaspard  turned  quickly  to  the  stand  and  was 
busy  a  moment  with  the  medicines.  He  brought  me 
a  cup  containing  a  cool,  sweet  draught  and  asked  me 
if  I  was  not  thirsty.  I  drank,  and  though  I  attempted 
to  continue  the  conversation,  I  could  frame  but  a 
few  sentences  before  I  sank  to  sleep." 

Cameron  rose  and  paced  up  and  down  the  path 
several  times.  They  said  nothing  to  him,  though  Dr. 
Ross  watched  him  narrowly  and  with  anxiety.  When 
he  resumed  his  place  beside  the  doctor,  he  continued : 

"I  remember  that  in  my  sleep  there  came  a  horrid 
nightmare.  Before  me  lay  a  wide,  deep  and  ragged 
crevasse,  spanned  by  a  single  moss-covered  trunk  of 
a  tree  that  some  time  had  been  thrown  down  by  a 
storm.  Upon  the  opposite  side  were  two  women  who 
appeared  to  be  in  deep  trouble,  and  who  were  endeav 
oring  by  signs  to  make  me  realize  a  danger  which  I 
could  escape  only  by  coming  quickly  to  them.  One  was 
a  matron,  fair  and  lovely,  even  in  her  distress,  and 
with  that  in  her  face  that  told  me  it  was  my  little 
schoolmate  and  sweetheart,  Alice  Laing,  and  about 
whom  none  in  Dunoon  has  told  me  aught  since  my 


C&e  Spotter*  247 

return.  Her  companion  was  much  younger,  a  beauti 
ful  girl  just  turning  to  womanhood,  who  with  her 
eyes  and  outstretched  hands  implored  me  to  leap 
upon  the  slender  crossing  and  hasten  to  her  side.  I 
glanced  above,  and  there  upon  the  edge  of  an  over 
hanging  crag  crouched  a  man,  holding  poised  beside 
him  an  immense  rock  which  with  one  push  of  his 
hand  would  crash  down  upon  me  with  a  force  that 
meant  instant  death.  I  attempted  to  shout,  but  my 
tongue  was  as  a  clod  and  made  no  sound.  I  braced 
myself  to  leap  as  far  upon  the  narrow  path  as  possible, 
but  stood  as  one  whose  muscles  had  turned  to  unbend 
ing  iron. 

"He  saw  my  distress — the  man  there  beside  the 
swaying  rock — and  laughed  at  my  helplessness.  In 
pantomime  he  showed  me  how  easily  he  could  send 
the  cruel  missile  down  upon  me.  He  clenched  his 
teeth  and  a  gleam  came  into  his  eyes  that  told  me  he 
would  wait  no  longer — but  still  I  could  not  move 
from  the  spot  in  which  I  stood. 

"There  was  a  loud  crash — in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye  the  scene  changed  and  I  was  upon  the  couch  in 
the  low  room  in  the  peasant's  house  and  two  men 
were  struggling  upon  the  floor.  One  was  Gaspard, 
whom  I  knew — the  other  was  the  man  who  an  instant 
before  seemed  to  stand  above  me  on  the  crag,  ready 
to  hurl  upon  my  head  a  weight  which  I  could  not 
escape. 

"It  was  a  satisfaction  to  see  him  beaten  into  sub- 


248 


mission  and  pinioned  by  Gaspard,  for  the  nightmare 
still  possessed  me  and  my  fear  of  the  man  was  over 
powering.  I  was  asked  by  the  Frenchman  if  I  recog 
nized  his  prisoner  and  I  replied  that  I  did  not.  I 
wanted  him  out  of  my  sight  and  did  not  tell  of  my 
dream. 

"There  is  little  more  to  add,  Willie.  How  long 
I  remained  at  the  peasant's  house,  I  do  not  know. 
Gaspard  was  with  me  constantly  and  gave  me  every 
care.  He  walked  with  me  each  day  in  an  orchard, 
talking  ever  of  France,  the  downfall  of  Napoleon 
III,  the  Commune,  the  establishment  of  a  Kepublic, 
and  many  things  which  happened,  he  declared,  in  the 
years  immediately  preceding.  He  gave  me  little  op 
portunity  to  think  upon  my  own  affairs  and  the 
strange  condition  in  which  I  found  myself,  and  I 
became  strong  and  well.  There  were  other  persons 
at  the  house,  but  I  saw  them  only  at  a  distance.  One 
day  Gaspard  asked  me  if  I  desired  to  return  to 
my  home,  and  I  told  him  that  I  did,  if  he  would  help 
me  to  do  so,  as  I  had  no  means  with  which  to  make 
the  journey. 

"  'Monsieur  is  free  to  go,'  he  replied,  'and  will  be 
provided  with  money  if  he  feels  that  his  strength  is 
sufficient  for  travelling.  Yes.  and  I  will  accompany 
him  upon  his  way.' 

"I  made  the  effort  to  thank  him,  but  he  replied  that 
thanks  were  not  due.  My  case,  he  said,  had  excited 
the  sympathy  of  some  wealthy  men  who  had  learned 


249 

of  the  circumstances,  and  they  would  provide  what 
was  necessary.  He  brought  me  new  clothing  and 
more  money  than  I  had  ever  before  seen.  He  came 
with  me  as  far  as  Edinburgh,  and  when  I  pressed 
him  at  last  to  tell  me  something  that  would  enlighten 
me  as  to  my  past  life,  he  said :  'Monsieur,  I  know 
little  or  nothing  to  tell,  except  that  fate,  who  was 
once  kind,  seems  to  have  turned  her  face  from  you  for 
the  present.  Do  not  think  upon  your  condition; 
live  in  the  open  air  where  you  may  gain  strength,  and 
ever  hold  to  the  hope  that  some  day  it  will  all  come 
right.' 

"Gaspard  left  me  then  and  I  came  here,  to  be 
overwhelmed  in  wonderment  over  the  changes  which 
press  upon  me  at  every  turn ;  to  tread  a  path  so  intri 
cate  and  mysterious  that  I  find  no  straight  course  to 
lead  me  to  a  solution  of  the  problem  of  my  life.  A 
boy,  with  memories  of  childhood  and  youth  cluster 
ing  around  me  and  with  no  recollection  of  how  I 
came  to  manhood,  save  fleeting  visions  which  I  can 
not  hold  and  which  have  no  tangible  or  cohesive  se 
quence.  They  sometimes  for  a  moment  flash  upon 
my  brain,  and  then  as  quickly  vanish,  leaving  me 
to  grope  in  darkness  and  to  pray  for  their  return. 
And  yet  a  man  in  stature,  strength  and  age,  as  they 
who  were  my  companions  but  a  summer  ago  are  now 
men  and  women. 

"Ross,  in  the  mercy  of  God,  tell  me  what  has  hap 
pened,"  and  Cameron  fell  upon  his  knees  before 


250  c&e  Spotter* 

them.  "Or  you,  Davie  Purdee,  my  boyhood  friend ; 
or  this  stranger  here,  with  the  kindly  face,  which  I 
seem  to  know  as  though  I  had  met  it  in  a  dream; 
or  this  beautiful  young  woman,  who  has  so  much  sym 
pathy  in  her  eyes  that  her  heart  must  be  as  tender 
as  the  heart  of  a  wee  lassie — tell  in  a  word  what  you 
must  call  this  cloud  that  rests  upon  my  life !  Where 
are  the  years  which  vanished  between  the  night  when 
I  was  struck  down  by  the  lightning  and  the  day  I 
awoke  in  the  house  of  the  French  peasant  ?  Was  I 
insane  through  them  all,  and  did  I  pass  them  in  some 
madhouse;  or  was  I  then  sane  and  have  I  now  gone 
mad? 

"See,  Ross,  Purdee,  all — can  you  look  with  indif 
ference  to  the  pleading  of  one  who  prays  to  you  from 
his  knees  as  he  would  to  his  God  ?" 


CJje  ^potter,  251 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

BETSEY  PAINTS  A  PICTURE. 

THE  Rev.  Mr.  Purdee  and  Dr.  Ross  stepped  for 
ward  and  raised  Cameron  to  his  feet.  Mrs.  Wheeler 
covered  her  face  with  her  hands  and  sobbed  con 
vulsively.  Mr.  Fisher's  furrowed  face  was  as  color 
less  as  the  hair  that  crowned  it,  and  he  appeared  to 
be  on  the  point  of  breaking  out  in  a  denunciation  of 
the  great  wrong  which  had  been  committed  against 
his  friend. 

"Calm  yourself,  Duncan,  lad,"  said  Dr.  Ross  in 
a  tone  he  might  be  expected  to  use  to  a  nervous  child. 
"We  are  here  to  help  you  and  to  make  all  clear.  You 
have  not  been,  nor  are  you  now  insane.  Through 
an  injury,  as  the  peasant  whom  you  call  Gaspard  de 
clared,  you  lost  consciousness,  and  when  it  returned 
a  number  of  years  of  active  life  had  dropped  from 
your  memory.  With  God's  help  and  in  His  own 
good  time,  that  memory  will  come  again." 

"Davie !"  and  Cameron  caught  Mr.  Purdee's  arms 
and  looked  him  straight  in  the  eyes,  "is  this  true  ?" 

"It  is  true,  Duncan,  as  true  as  the  sun  yonder ;  as 
true  as  the  mercy  and  love  of  God." 


252 

"Twenty-five  years,  is  it  not !  The  memory  lost  of 
twenty-five  years!  Ah,"  and  he  glanced  quickly 
from  one  to  another  of  those  around  him,  "should  I 
desire  its  return?  Is  there  something  in  that  long 
period — from  youth  to  middle  age — which  I  have 
done  and  now  do  not  know,  but  which,  returning  to 
me,  would  make  me  ashamed  ?" 

"No!"  thundered  Mr.  Fisher,  coming  up  and  tak 
ing  Cameron's  hand.  "No,  Cameron,  not  one  single 
act" 

The  bewildered  man  looked  upon  Mr.  Fisher 
with  that  curious  gaze,  of  half  recognition  over 
shadowed  with  doubt,  which  one  unconsciously  as 
sumes  when  circumstances  arise  which  partially  re 
call  an  elusive  incident  or  bring  back  the  features  of 
a  long-forgotten  face. 

"Thank  you,  sir.  From  whom  does  this  assurance 
come  ?" 

"From  an  old  friend,  Cameron — one  who  knows 
even  more  of  your  life  than  these  companions  of  your 
youth.  I  lived  beside  you  many  years  as  a  neighbor 
in  Cameron  Valley — Arad  Fisher." 

"And  what  Mr.  Fisher  tells  you  is  known  to  very 
many,"  said  Mrs.  Wheeler,  coming  to  Cameron's 
side  and  taking  his  hand.  "Do  you  not  know  me, 
Mr.  Cameron — the  little  girl  whom  you  taught  so 
many  things  and  who  was  a  playmate  of  your  daugh 
ter  Agnes  ?" 

"My  daughter — Agnes!" 


C&e  Spotter,  253 

He  reeled  and  would  have  fallen  had  not  Dr.  Ross 
caught  him  quickly  and  supported  him  to  a  seat  on 
the  rock.  Mrs.  Wheeler,  pale  with  fright,  sank  down 
by  Cameron's  side. 

"Oh,  forgive  me ;  I  ought  not  to  have  spoken  so  ab 
ruptly,  but  for  the  moment  I  forgot  that  we  have 
not  told  you  all.  There  is  a  daughter,  Mr.  Cameron, 
a  beautiful,  noble  girl;  just  a  few  years  younger 
than  myself  and  with  never  a  thought  from  the  begin 
ning  of  a  year  to  its  end  except  to  make  others 
happy." 

"Her — her  mother !  Quick,  girl,  tell  me — has  this 
'Agnes,  my  daughter,  a  living  mother  ?" 

"Why  of  course  she  has,  Mr.  Cameron ;  the  dearest, 
sweetest  mother  that  one  can  imagine — kind,  loving, 
indulgent,  unselfish — a  guide  and  companion  to  her 
daughter,  a  friend  to  every  one  in  need." 

Cameron's  face  was  a  study.  Astonishment,  sur 
prise,  perplexity,  wonder,  fear,  and  finally,  joy, 
swept  over  his  countenance  in  alternating  waves  of 
light  and  shadow.  Tears  started  to  his  eyes  and  he 
extended  his  arms  as  if  in  supplication. 

"Is  it  Alice  Laing  ?  Davie,  is  it  Alice  Laing  ?  Oh, 
for  the  love  of  Heaven,  tell  me,  is  it  Alice?" 

"Yes,  Duncan,  it  is  Alice  Laing." 

"Thank  God;  thank  God;  thank  God!  I  feared  I 
had  lost  her,  for  when  I  came  back  and  found  all  so 
changed  I  dared  not  ask  for  Alice.  There  were 
strangers  in  her  old  home,  and  I  would  not  let  them 


254  CJje  Spotter. 

guess  my  secret,  so  made  no  inquiry.  I  searched 
everywhere,  except  in  the  kirkyard,  and  that  I 
shunned.  I  listened,  hoping,  yet  fearful  that  some 
one  would  speak  her  name.  I  haunted  the  place, 
where  we  wandered  as  boy  and  girl,  recalling  her 
pretty  ways  and  feeling  her  dear  presence ;  yet  with 
each  happy  hour  thus  brought  back,  came  the  crush 
ing  thought  and  overshadowing  fear  that  Alice  had 
gone  out  of  my  life.  And  yet  you  tell  me,  friends, 
that  she  has  been — is  now — my  wife,  and  that  she 
has  borne  me  a  daughter?" 

"Yes,  Duncan,  it  is  so.  Alice  went  to  America 
with  her  parents,  both  of  whom  died  soon  after  reach 
ing  there.  Upon  learning  this,  you  followed  imme 
diately  and  were  married  in  a  few  weeks." 

Cameron  buried  his  face  in  his  hands  and  wept 
with  joy.  His  body  swayed  with  emotion,  and  those 
who  stood  beside  him  saw  that  he  was  wrought  upon 
by  intense  nervous  excitement.  !No  word  was  spoken, 
and  after  a  few  minutes  he  raised  his  head  and  looked 
afar  off  upon  the  blue  water  of  the  Firth  with  a  gaze 
of  deep  and  intense  inquiry. 

"Almost !"  he  whispered.  "The  picture  of  the  past 
almost  comes  to  me.  Oh,  help  me  to  bring  it  back." 

"Quick,"  said  Dr.  Eoss.  "Tell  him  some  dramatic, 
thrilling  incident  of  his  life." 

Mi\  Fisher  shook  his  head  helplessly  and  glanced 
toward  Mrs.  Wheeler.  She  stepped  forward,  laid 
her  hand  on  Cameron's  shoulder,  and  pointing  toward 


Cfce  Spotter,  255 

the  gray  and  rugged  Scottish  landscape  she  drew  this 
picture : 

"There  lies  a  beautiful  valley,  and  here  is  a  farm, 
the  well-tilled  fields  of  which  have  been  brought  from 
a  state  of  neglect  into  a  condition  of  fruitf ulness  and 
plenty.  Here  runs  the  road,  and  there  on  a  little  rise, 
is  a  comfortable,  homelike  farmhouse,  hedged  in  with 
currant  and  small  fruit  shrubs,  and  filled  with  beds 
and  rows  of  growing  vegetables.  Back  of  the  house 
a  rolling  field  stretches  away  to  the  wooded  hill,  and 
in  it,  first,  an  orchard,  all  pink-and-white  in  blos 
soms  ;  and  then  a  great  meadow  upon  which  the  rich 
grass  is  even  now  glistening  with  different  shades  of 
green  as  the  light  wind  sweeps  across  it.  Off  at  the 
right  is  a  smooth  pasture  leading  up  the  gentle  hill 
to  the  woodland,  and  upon  which  a  herd  of  splendid 
cattle  are  grazing  on  the  fresh  pasturage." 

She  spoke  in  a  deep,  low  voice,  without  hesitation, 
and  Cameron  followed  her  description  with  an  atten 
tion  that  indicated  that  it  was  making  upon  him  a 
tremendous  impression. 

"Two  girls  are  seated  in  a  swing  in  the  yard.  A 
man  comes  from  the  garden  and  passes  a  corner  of 
the  house  where  they  can  see  him,  while  a  great  collie, 
called  Don,  leaps  from  the  sod  and  runs  forward  with 
joyful  bark  to  greet  his  master. 

'  'Father/  says  one  of  the  girls  to  the  farmer, 
'please  take  Betsey  and  me  up  to  the  Edgert  tract  to 
see  them  torpedo  the  well/ 


256  c&e  Spotter* 

"The  man  pauses.  A  new  industry  is  being  de 
veloped  in  all  that  section  and  the  land  of  most  of  his 
neighbors  has  been  leased  for  the  purpose  of  drilling 
upon  it  wells  for  the  production  of  oil.  Within  a 
few  weeks  an  invention  has  been  announced  by 
which  the  flow  of  oil  from  the  wells  may  be  increased. 
A  great  can  of  nitro-glycerine  is  lowered  to  the  bot 
tom  of  the  well  and  then  exploded  by  a  weight  that 
is  let  fall  upon  it  from  the  top.  The  explosion  breaks 
up  the  rock  at  the  bottom  and  opens  new  reservoirs 
of  the  product,  thus  giving  a  greater  supply.  The 
invention  has  not  been  tried  in  this  neighborhood, 
and  upon  the  success  of  the  experiment  to-day  de 
pends  the  sale  of  a  neighbor's  farm  at  a  price  that 
will  raise  him  from  poverty  to  riches.  The  whole 
community  is  interested  and  curious,  and  the  girls 
plead  that  they  be  taken  to  witness  the  sight.  The 
man  consents  to  go  if  the  mother  of  one  of  the  girls 
may  be  induced  to  accompany  them,  and  the  girls 
run  into  the  house,  to  return  in  a  moment,  their 
arms  around  the  beautiful  woman  whom  one  calls 
mother. 

"Back  through  the  meadow  and  orchard  they  troop, 
three  of  them  decking  their  hair  and  bosoms  with 
sprays  of  apple-blossoms  and  bunches  of  violets — the 
man  gravely  amused  over  their  play  and  listening 
to  their  chatter  with  kindly  interest.  On  through  the 
wood  lot  where  the  big  maples  stand,  which  a  few 
weeks  before  were  dripping  their  flow  of  sweet  sap 


Cfje  Spotter*  257 

into  troughs  and  buckets,  over  fences,  through  a  wild 
lot  given  up  to  a  tangle  of  bushes,  and  finally  out 
into  the  clearing  where  a  great  derrick  of  rough 
boards  stands  seventy  feet  in  the  air  above  the  oil 
well. 

"A  crowd  of  sightseers  has  assembled.  Most  of 
them  are  known  to  the  man  and  they  come  around 
him  with  many  questions,  seeking  his  opinion  con 
cerning  the  invention.  Before  he  has  time  to  answer, 
there  is  a  warning  from  the  derrick  to  stand  back 
out  of  danger,  and  some  drillers  and  torpedo  men 
approach  with  a  long  tube  of  tin  filled  with  a  dan 
gerous  explosive.  Carefully  they  convey  it  to  the 
well,  and  with  great  caution  lower  it  gently  through 
the  mouth  of  the  casing. 

"Two  men  slowly  pay  out  the  rope  as  the  tre 
mendous  charge  sinks  foot  by  foot  into  the  earth. 
Two  other  men  stand  by  the  casing,  one  guiding  the 
rope  in  the  center  of  the  well  and  the  other  listening 
for  any  sound  from  the  depths  below.  A  hundred 
feet — two  hundred — a  thousand  feet  of  the  slender 
line  has  been  uneoiled,  and  still  the  torpedo  sinks, 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  black  and  narrow  hole. 
Twelve  hundred  feet !  The  men,  women  and  children 
gather  near  in  breathless,  silent  interest,  for  they  see 
no  danger  now.  Fifteen  hundred  feet  of  the  line  has 
disappeared,  and  there  are  two  hundred  feet  remain 
ing  when  the  man  who  has  been  listening  all  this  time 
over  the  casing,  raises  his  hand. 


258  Cfje 

"He  feels  a  puff  of  gas  upon  his  cheek — faint  and 
almost  imperceptible.  The  drillers  stop  paying  out 
rope  and  stand  immovable.  A  low-spoken  word  or 
two  by  the  men  is  not  heard  by  the  people,  who  are 
crowding  to  the  sides  of  the  derrick. 

"Another  puff  of  gas,  stronger  than  before,  comes 
into  the  now  white  faces  of  the  men. 

"  'God !  she  is  going  to  flow !  Back,  back !'  shouts 
one  of  the  drillers,  and  as  they  drop  the  line  the  four 
men  leap  among  the  people  and  run  for  their  lives. 

"A  startled,  fearful  cry  from  those  who  press 
around  the  narrow  platform — a  panic  struggle  for 
flight  which  results  in  throwing  many  to  the  ground 
and  keeping  all  save  the  strongest  from  reaching 
safety !  A  rushing,  hissing  sound  from  the  mouth  of 
the  well ! 

"A  man — this  owner  of  the  peaceful  farm — leaps 
upon  the  derrick  platform  and  stands  crouching  near 
the  iron  casing.  Men  shout,  women  scream,  children 
scramble  to  their  feet  and  flee  in  terror — but  he  heeds 
them  not.  The  rush  of  gas  grows  louder,  for  the 
subterranean  reservoir  has  broken  open  of  its  own 
pent-up  force  and  the  torpedo  is  being  driven  upward 
like  a  shot,  to  be  thrown  into  the  air  and  fall  to  the 
ground  with  an  explosion  that  will  kill  a  score  of 
people.  Some  faint;  others  stand  rooted  to  the  spot, 
paralyzed  with  the  fascination  of  approaching  death. 

"In  a  flash  the  glistening  tube  leaps  upward,  and 
the  man,  watching  its  flight  twenty  feet  above  his 


Cfte  Spotter,  259 


head,  springs  forward  as  it  falls  and,  reaching  up  on 
tip-toe,  with  arms  cushioned  to  receive  it,  catches  the 
awful  missile  and  bears  it  gently  up  from  striking 
ground  or  timbers  ! 

"A  mighty  shout;  a  roar  of  gas;  a  thick  stream 
of  black,  liquid  spurting  high  above  the  derrick  and 
raining  upon  all  with  stifling  odor  and  pelting  flood, 
does  not  stop  this  man  who  has  saved  so  many  lives. 
Blindly,  carefully,  he  creeps  forward  with  his  burden 
of  death  until  other  men  come  to  his  side  and  take 
it  from  his  arms. 

"Mr.  Cameron,  do  you  not  recognize  the  picture  ?" 

One  hand  was  clasped  over  his  eyes,  the  other  ex 
tended  before  him. 

"Yes,  yes  —  I  see  it  all  !  Cameron  farm  —  my  home 
—  Sam  Edgert,  Jim  Tubbs,  Arad  Fisher,  Old  Don, 
Agnes,  Betsey  —  Alice  !  Oh,  thank  God,  thank  God  !" 

The  vanished  years  came  rushing  back  as  the 
scenes  of  a  day  before  return  to  the  awakened  sleeper  ! 


260 


CHAPTER 


DOCTOR  EOSS  SELLS  OUT. 

ONE  afternoon  a  month  later,  the  Rev.  David  Pur- 
dee  pushed  open  the  door  and  entered  Dr.  Ross's 
office. 

"What  is  this  I  hear,  Ross  ;  that  you  have  offered 
your  practice  for  sale  and  intend  to  go  to  America  ?" 

"Yes,  it  is  true,  dominie." 

"But,  man,  are  you  not  contented  with  what  you 
are  doing  here?  They  tell  me  that  you  are  riding 
night  and  day  and  have  been  called  in  consultation 
as  far  away  as  Garrows  and  Holten." 

"I  have  no  complaint  to  make  of  the  practice  ;  but 
it  has  been  for  sale." 

"Been?  Then  you  have  reconsidered  your  plan 
and  have  withdrawn  it?" 

"E"o;  I  have  sold  out." 

The  minister  looked  at  him  curiously  for  a  moment 
from  under  perplexed  eyebrows.  "I  don't  understand 
it,  Willie.  Why  should  a  man  with  your  brilliant 
prospects  wish  to  throw  them  aside  and  go  abroad, 
where  he  must  again  commence  at  the  bottom  of  the 
ladder?" 


C&e  Spotter*  26i 

Doctor  Ross  smiled,  and  without  speaking  step 
ped  to  the  locker  and  mixed  two  glasses  of  strong 
Scotch  whiskey.  "There's  an  uncomfortable  chill  in 
the  air  this  afternoon,  Davie,"  he  said,  bringing  the 
drinks  forward,  "and  I  have  to  start  on  a  long  ride 
in  a  few  minutes,  so  I'll  ask  you  to  join  me  in  some 
thing  warming,  and  at  the  same  time  to  drink  to  my 
success." 

"That  I  will  of  course  do,  Willie,  and  pray  for  it 
as  well.  But  I  can't  see  why  you  should  put  aside 
that  which  is  already  successful  to  enter  upon  a  ven 
ture  which  is  doubtful." 

"Do  you  remember  the  day  out  on  the  shore,  Davie, 
when  Cameron  was  so  strangely  restored  to  his  full 
reason  ?" 

"To  be  sure  I  do,  for  it  is  almost  never  out  of  my 
thoughts.  And  that  reminds  me — I  have  here  a  let 
ter  from  Duncan  telling  about  his  arrival  home.  I 
brought  it  over  for  your  reading ;  it  is  as  much  to  you 
as  to  me." 

The  doctor  took  the  letter  somewhat  eagerly.  "Let 
me  keep  it  and  read  it  later." 

"Certainly ;  that  was  my  intention." 

"And  do  you  remember  the  little  woman,  Davie, 
who  told  the  thrilling  story  about  Cameron's  heroism 
which  shocked  him  into  consciousness  ?" 

The  minister  nodded  absently.  "Yes,  Mrs. 
Wheeler." 

"It  is  she  that  is  taking  me  to  America." 


262  C!)e 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Purdee's  hand  with  the  half -emptied 
glass  paused  on  its  way  to  his  lips  for  a  sip  of  the 
fragrant  liquor.  Slowly  it  sank  until  the  glass  rested 
upon  the  table,  and  the  men  looked  each  other  in  the 
eyes. 

"Willie  Ross!" 

"Yes,  Davie,  it  is  so.  You  are  my  minister  as  well 
as  my  friend.  This  is  my  confession." 

"Why  man,  do  you  know  that  the  woman  is  mar 
ried?" 

"That  I  do,  to  my  regret.  Had  she  not  been,  she 
would  have  stayed  here  as  my  wife,  or  I  should  have 
accompanied  her  home  as  her  husband." 

"You  crazy  dolt!  Have  you  said  anything  to  her 
of  this?" 

"Davie !"  reproachfully. 

"Ah,  but  I  don't  know.  When  a  Scotchman  is  in 
love  neither  honor  nor  dishonor,  nor  the  commands  of 
God,  nor  the  fear  of  the  devil  stand  in  his  way.  Did 
you  let  her  know  during  the  days  they  remained  here 
that  you  were  smitten  ?" 

"No,  not  by  one  word — except " 

"Except  what,  man?  Tell  me  the  whole  of  it,  if 
you  are  making  your  confession." 

"When  we  bade  them  good-by  on  the  steamer,  and 
you  were  talking  and  laughing  with  the  others,  she 
gave  me  her  hand  in  farewell.  I  held  it  firmly  in 
my  grasp  a  moment,  and  said  to  her:  'This  is  for 
a  time,  only.  I  am  coming  to  America.'  She  looked 


C&e  Spotter*  263 


at  me  with  unspoken  words  on  her  lips.  Then  she 
turned  away  and  was  silent  for  a  moment,  at  last 
saying  that  she  thought  my  place  was.  here  where  I 
have  opportunities  to  do  so  much  good." 

"And  she  was  right.  Losh,  but  the  woman  has 
the  greater  wisdom  of  the  two,  and  no  doubt  she 
thinks  you  the  crazy  loon  that  you  are.  What  can 
come  to  you  by  following  her  ?  Only  heartburnings 
and  disappointments." 

"Nevertheless,  I  shall  go." 

"Yes,  I  suppose  you  will,  for  you  were  ever  the 
most  headstrong  lad  in  the  country.  You  will  go  to 
find  that  when  she  told  you  to  remain  in  Scotland, 
she  gave  you  good  advice.  From  Duncan  and  Mr. 
Fisher  I  had  some  of  Mrs.  Wheeler's  history,  and 
barring  the  fact  that  she  temporarily  lost  her  head 
when  her  parents  suddenly  became  wealthy,  and  was 
flattered  into  marrying  a  man  more  than  twice  her 
own  age,  she  has  been  a  sensible  girl  and  woman.  She 
is  tied  to  a  scoundrel,  I  will  grant;  but  have  you 
stopped  to  consider  that  she  may  not  be  freed  from 
him  in  a  lifetime  ?" 

"Then  by  neither  word  nor  look  shall  she  or  any 
other  know  that  I  love  her,  for  I  will  carry  my  secret 
in  silence.  Something  has  told  me  from  the  start, 
Davie,  that  there  would  be  a  sequel  to  the  chapter 
in  the  life  of  this  woman  in  which  I  have  part,  and 
that  in  some  manner  I  must  be  a  factor  in  writing 
that  sequel." 


264  cfje  Spotter. 

"In  other  words,  without  invitation  or  request,  you 
are  to  become  a  modern  Don  Quixote,  and  are  going 
out  to  fight  battles  for  those  who  do  not  wish  your 
services.  No  good  will  ever  come  of  it,  my  boy,  and 
if  you  but  keep  the  sea  between  yourself  and  the  ob 
ject  of  your  romantic  fancies  you  will  be  happier,  and 
will  soon  laugh  over  these  dreams." 

Ross  shook  his  head.  "It  is  too  late,  Davie,  too 
late.  The  fancy  as  you  call  it  has  laid  hold  on  me 
and  I  would  not  have  it  let  go.  I  leave  this  day 
week.  Will  you  not  drink  to  my  success  ?" 

The  minister  took  the  glass  and  slowly  extended  it 
until  it  touched  the  one  held  by  his  friend.  Tears 
stood  in  his  eyes,  and  in  a  broken  voice  he  said: 

"To  your  success,  Willie  Ross — in  your  profes 
sion." 


265 


CHAPTEK  XXIX. 

MR.   TUBES  IN   BUSINESS. 

THE  great  suit  of  Cameron  vs.  The  Cygnet  Oil 
Producing  and  Refining  Company  had  been  dragging 
its  tiresome  way  through  the  courts  for  more  than 
two  years,  and  was  not  yet  at  the  end.  Times  almost 
without  number  it  made  its  appearance  in  one  form 
or  another,  only  to  be  delayed  upon  various  pretexts 
until  the  public  nearly  lost  sight  of  the  contest  and 
no  longer  expected  a  determination  of  the  issue  with 
in  the  memory  of  one  generation.  The  policy  of  the 
Cygnet  Company  appeared  to  be  delay,  and  as  the 
courts  in  some  subtle  manner  were  held  under  in 
fluences  exerted  by  the  powerful  interests  of  the 
Cygnet,  ±t  was  not  a  difficult  matter  for  the  adroit 
and  well-paid  lawyers  for  the  defendants  to  get  such 
postponements  and  adjournments  as  they  might  ds 
sire.  A  simple  motion  for  a  change  of  venue,  for 
instance,  was  argued  on  four  different  occasions  about 
three  months  apart,  and  then  the  learned  judges  took 
another  three  months  to  reach  a  decision,  from  which 
an  appeal  was  immediately  interposed. 


266  C&e  Spotter* 

"Tire  them  out  and  break  them  down,"  was  the 
laconic  order  issued  by  President  Lanphere  when  the 
suit  was  brought.  It  appeared  as  though  this  would 
be  the  result. 

The  plaintiff  sought  to  show  that  through  a  con 
spiracy,  "existing  between  John  Lanphere,  Presi 
dent  of  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Kefining  Com 
pany,  and  one  Eli  Wheeler,  the  lands  and  certain 
sums  of  cash  owned  by  Duncan  Cameron  had  been 
wrongfully  and  fraudulently  seized,  converted,  and 
were  now  held  to  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  said 
Company,  and  that  the  said  Cameron  had  not  been 
paid  any  just  compensation  for  the  same." 

The  defense  set  up  the  claim  that  the  property  had 
been  purchased  in  good  faith  from  Wheeler,  who  held 
deeds  of  the  same,  and  was  authorized  under  power 
of  attorney  to  transact  business  for  the  Cameron 
Farm  Company,  and  to  buy  and  sell  for  the  said  com 
pany. 

So  rapid  and  sure  was  the  growth  of  the  Cygnet's 
power  throughout  the  oil  regions  that  the  independ 
ents  who  suffered  with  Cameron  when  Wheeler  sold 
them  out  became  cowed  and  disheartened  and  had  lit 
tle  inclination  to  give  him  either  aid  or  encourage 
ment.  Indeed,  some  of  them  were  now  holding  posi 
tions  of  one  kind  or  another  with  the  Cygnet,  and 
they  conveniently  forgot  about  the  transactions  of 
several  years  before,  not  being  inclined  to  jeopardize 
what  they  already  held  in  the  doubtful  effort  to  prove 


C6e  Spotter.  26? 

that  the  President  of  the  Cygnet  had  ruined  them 
through  a  conspiracy  with  Wheeler.  The  very  good 
Mr.  Lanphere  could  not  be  guilty  of  such  an  act. 
It  was  no  secret  that  he  wanted  the  independent  re 
fineries  and  the  Cameron  property.  What  man  among 
them  would  not  buy  out  dangerous  opposition  when 
the  opportunity  presented  ?  It  was  a  legitimate  move 
in  trade  and  could  not  be  criticised.  Lanphere  was 
not  to  blame;  Wheeler  was  the  scapegoat.  He  had 
gone  to  the  good  Mr.  Lanphere,  admitted  that  he  was 
tired  and  discouraged  with  his  efforts  to  buck  the 
Cygnet,  confessed  that  he  was  at  the  end  of  his 
financial  leash,  and  offered  the  properties  for  sale. 
Wheeler  was  the  man  to  prosecute ;  Wheeler  was  the 
liar,  the  swindler,  the  thief.  Find  Wheeler  and  they 
would  give  their  last  dollar  to  bring  him  to  complete 
justice — but  the  good  Mr.  Lanphere  could  not  be 
blamed. 

Thus  they  argued,  and  so  it  fell  out  that  Cameron 
found  himself  fighting  the  battle  alone  and  in  the 
face  of  many  discouragements. 

The  first  of  these  was  his  lack  of  money.  Cameron 
came  home  to  find  that  his  wife  and  daughter  were 
occupying  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tubbs  the  cottage  in 
which  he  had  installed  them  in  Bradan.  Mrs.  Cam 
eron  knew  many  womanly  arts,  and  with  her  ready 
adaptability  found  opportunity  to  employ  them  to  an 
extent  which  yielded  a  considerable  revenue.  Agnes, 
grown  into  beautiful  womanhood,  gave  instruction  in 


268  Ci)£ 

music,  and  for  the  past  year  no  social  function  had 
been  complete  without  the  benefit  of  her  professional 
presence.  Mr.  Tubbs — happy  old  Jim,  who,  now  that 
his  daughter  and  Cameron  were  safely  home, 
was  the  most  contented  and  well  satisfied  man  on 
earth — confided  to  Cameron  that  he  was  making  more 
money  matching  horses  and  selling  the  teams  in  the 
oil  country  to  lucky  producers  than  "could  be  made 
out  of  a  half-dozen  twenty-barrel  wells." 

"You're  going  to  take  every  dollar  of  it,"  he  de 
clared  when  Cameron  told  of  his  plan  to  bring  suit 
against  the  Cygnet,  "and  when  that's  gone  there'll  be 
more  ready  for  ye.  Besides  a  little  better  than  seven 
teen  hunder  in  the  bank,  there's" — and  his  voice  sank 
to  a  whisper — "that  two  thousand  that  I  salted,  and 
nobody  to  this  day  knows  anything  about  it  but  us 
two.  I  never'll  want  it,  Mr.  Cameron,  for  since  I 
got  into  business  and  out  of  society,  I  can  make 
money  hand  over.  Cleaned  up  a  hunder  and  eight 
yesterday,  and  now  that  my  reputation  is  gettin'  up, 
can  make  two  hunder  a  month  above  expenses  as  easy 
as  talkin'  politics.  It  comes  natural  to  me  to  specu 
late  in  bosses,  and  since  I've  got  speeded  up  to  a  safe 
gait  there  ain't  no  other  hossman  passed  me.  I 
started  in  with  a  fifty-dollar  mare  that  I  got  by  sell 
ing  some  of  the  duds  and  jimcracks  they  bought  for 
me  when  we  soared,  and  now  I've  got  over  in  that 
barn  four  thousand  dollars'  wuth  of  bosses  and  rigs, 
besides  what  I've  told  you  of.  Ain't  that  a  good 


Clje  Spotter*  209 


stroke  for  an  old  duffer  what  didn't  know  enough  to 
ehine  in  a  plug  hat  and  swaller  tail  coat?" 

"Indeed  it  is,  Mr.  Tubbs.  It  is  an  achievement  of 
which  any  man  might  be  proud.  You  do  not  know 
how  greatly  it  pleases  me.  And  to  see  Mrs.  Tubbs 
so  contented,  too.  She  appears  most  happy." 

"Happy!  why  there  ain't  a  happier  soul  than  Mis 
Tubbs  in  the  State,,  unless  it  is  Mis  Cameron,  now 
that  you're  home.  And  it  was  so  durin'  all  the  dark 
days  when  never  a  word  came  from  Betsey,  the  poor 
little  gal  whose  head  was  turned,  but  whose  heart 
was  right  all  the  time.  Mis  Tubbs  never  mourned 
a  minnit  for  the  money  after  she  picked  up  the 
stitches  she  dropped  when  the  crash  come  and  the 
whole  web  of  rosy  colors  she'd  been  weavin'  fell  out 
of  her  hands. 

"  'James,'  she  says,  comin'  up  to  me  one  day  after 
you  left  us,  'do  you  suppose  you  can  forgive  me?' 
'  Susan,'  says  I,  'what  have  you  been  doin',  breakin' 
some  of  them  chiney  dishes  mother  gin  us  as  a  wed- 
din'  present?' 

"  'You  know  what  I'm  askin'  forgiveness  for, 
James/  she  replied. 

"  'There  ain't  nothin'  else  in  the  world  for  which 
you'd  have  to  ask  forgiveness,  except  to  break  them 
five  or  six  pieces  of  chiney.'  ' 

"She  looked  at  me  out  of  the  corners  of  her  eyes 
just  as  she  used  to  when  we  went  to  dances  together 


270 

before  she  was  Mis  Tubbs — but  I  was  as  sober  as 
a  hungry  cow  and  didn't  change  an  eyebrow. 

"  'James/  she  said  after  a  minnit,  'if  you  really 
mean  it,  I  ain't  goin'  to  say  any  more  about  it.  If 
anybody'd  told  me  three  years  ago  that  I  could 
have  been  such  a  silly  old  hen — well,  I'd  a  tied  a 
sunbonnet  on  my  head  to  keep  my  senses  from  gettin' 
out.  Xow  that  I've  come  to  my  right  mind  once 
more,  I'm  goin'  to  work  and  make  you  as  happy  as 
you've  been  miserable.  And  when  Betsey's  back  with 
us — for  she'll  come,  James,  as  sure  as  summer  fol 
lows  winter,  and  come  in  her  right  mind,  too — the 
place  where  we  live  will  be  about  as  near  like  home 
as  any  spot  on  earth — no  matter  if  it's  in  a  shanty.' ' 

Mr.  Tubbs  turned  away,  for  there  was  a  fulness 
in  his  throat  that  made  his  speech  difficult.  In  a 
moment  he  abruptly  changed  the  subject: 

"You  can  have  all  I've  saved,  Mr.  Cameron,  to 
fight  Lanphere." 

"I  do  not  want  it,  Mr.  Tubbs,  though  I  thank  you 
for  the  offer.  I  thought  of  borrowing  five  hundred 
dollars  from  Mr.  Edgert,  and  if  you  will  loan  me  the 
same  sum,  I  will  give  a  note,  and  if  I  live  it  will 
be  paid." 

"You  can't  borrow  any  money  from  me.  I'm  goin' 
to  put  the  cash  in  your  hand,  and  I  won't  take  no 
note » 

"But,  Mr.  Tubbs " 

"No  sir-ee ;  this  is  as  much  my  fight  as  it  is  yours, 


€&e  Spotter.  271 

and  though  I  don't  want  the  money  back  that  my 
high-flyin'  son-in-law  took  out  of  the  Tubbs  family, 
I  want  to  see  you  win  out." 

In  the  end,  a  thousand  dollars  was  placed  in  the 
hands  of  young  Harry  Edgert,  who  had  completed 
his  studies  and  was  now  an  active  and  progressive 
lawyer,  and  the  fight  was  begun  that  made  him 
famous  for  his  persistency  and  resources,  and  gave 
the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company  the 
hardest  rub  it  ever  experienced. 

Cameron  returned  to  the  oil  country  in  the  vicinity 
of  his  old  home  with  several  objects  in  view.  He  would 
be  upon  the  scene  of  action  where  without  delay  he 
could  have  frequent  consultation  with  Harry,  and  by 
becoming  managing  superintendent  of  a  producing 
tract  he  would  earn  a  salary  that  would  help  him 
in  the  contest  against  a  corporation  possessed  of  un 
limited  means.  Finally,  here  he  might  be  able  to  se 
cure  some  knowledge  of  the  whereabouts  of  Wheeler. 
This  much  only  was  known  of  the  missing  man — it 
was  reported  that  he  had  been  seen  in  Oleford  several 
times,  and  it  was  supposed  that  he  was  engaged  in 
some  secret  work  for  the  Cygnet. 


272  c&e  Spotter. 


CHAPTEK  XXX. 

THE  SPOTTER. 

IN  ALL  eras  of  industrial  development,  necessary 
inventions  keep  pace  with  the  increased  demands 
which  are  constantly  presenting  themselves. 

One  of  the  outgrowths  of  the  oil  industry  was  the 
torpedo,  or  nitro-glycerine  "shot,"  which  was  lowered 
to  the  oil-bearing  rock  and  there  exploded,  breaking 
up  the  veins  and  pools  containing  the  fluid  and  giving 
them  free  outlet  to  the  chamber  formed  by  the  explo 
sion  and  final  vent  through  the  mouth  of  the  well 
above. 

It  was  one  of  the  early  experiments  with  this 
invention  which  Mrs.  Wheeler  seized  upon  to  de 
scribe,  and  thus  reach  and  recall  the  fugitive  mem 
ory  of  Duncan  Cameron  when  they  found  him  in 
Scotland.  When  Cameron  returned  to  the  oil  regions 
and  took  up  the  work  he  was  engaged  to  superintend, 
he  found  that  next  to  drilling,  the  torpedoing  of  wells 
was  a  most  important  branch  of  the  work.  A  thriving 
company  controlled  the  patents  and  sought  through 
the  monopoly  to  enrich  its  stockholders  by  leaps  and 


Cfte  Spotter*  273 


bounds,  rather  than  through  the  slower  channels  of 
more  equitable  dealing.  The  producers  who  wished 
to  torpedo  their  wells  were  compelled  to  pay  almost 
prohibitive  prices  for  the  privilege  of  so  doing, 
though  the  cost  of  material  and  work  was  compara 
tively  small.  The  producers  were  between  two  op 
pressive  influences.  On  the  one  hand,  the  Cygnet, 
with  the  pipe  lines,  tankage,  shipping  facilities,  rail 
road  concessions  and  refineries  in  its  control,  fixed  the 
price  of  oil  at  whatever  figure  its  pleasure  and  love  of 
profit  might  suggest  On  the  other  hand,  the  Torpedo 
Company  demanded  a  full  pound  of  flesh  for  the  per 
mission  to  employ  its  devices  to  increase  the  flow  of 
the  wells. 

The  simplicity  of  the  process,  and  the  case  with 
which  unauthorized  torpedoes  might  be  constructed 
invited  constant,  but  not  wholly  inexcusable,  in 
fringement  upon  the  rights  of  the  patent-owners. 
Thus  there  grew  up  a  body  of  "moonshiners"  —  men 
who  for  one-half  or  a  third  of  the  sum  demanded  by 
the  Torpedo  Company,  would  "shoot"  a  well,  gener 
ally  at  night,  without  warrant  of  authority.  So  com 
mon  became  this  illicit  practice  that  regular  organiza 
tions  of  the  moonshiners  were  formed.  Agents  manu 
factured  the  explosive  in  distant  localities;  others, 
in  wagons  fitted  with  specially  prepared  springs  and 
covers,  conveyed  loads  of  the  product  to  the  vicinity 
of  the  wells,  where  scores  of  reckless  and  daring  men, 
carrying  knapsacks  each  containing  several  cans  of 


2741  cfie  Spotter, 

the  death-dealing  liquid,  went  abroad  over  the  hills 
and  mountains  at  night  through  almost  impassable 
trails  in  great  tracts  of  woodland,  each  with  his 
object  in  view  and  bent  upon  its  accomplishment. 
They  generally  operated  in  pairs,  but  many  times  one 
man  would  take  the  contract  to  surreptitiously  tor 
pedo  several  wells. 

Now  it  must  not  be  thought  that  the  Torpedo  Com 
pany  suffered  the  work  of  the  moonshiners  to  go  on 
without  protest  and  made  no  attempt  to  check  it.  In 
junctions,  complaints,  suits  for  damages,  arrests, 
writs  and  prosecutions  clogged  the  courts  and  almost 
blocked  the  wheels  of  justice.  In  the  furtherance  of 
these  proceedings,  every  possible  subterfuge  was  em 
ployed  to  secure  evidence  against  those  who  offended. 

It  was  a  wild  country.  Towns  which  grew  in  a 
night  vanished  in  a  month.  The  population  was  a 
floating  one.  Titles  and  ownership  of  many  lands  were 
obscure.  The  conditions  of  to-day  were  obliterated 
to-morrow.  As  compared  with  the  customary  prog 
ress  of  a  community,  it  was  guerilla  scouting  and  at 
tack  contrasted  with  the  orderly  march  of  highly- 
drilled  armies  and  the  pitched  battle  upon  the  open 
plain.  The  authorities  were  often  powerless  and  al 
ways  indifferent. 

The  Torpedo  Company  employed  to  do  its  detective 
work  men  who  came  to  be  known  as  "spotters."  They 
followed  almost  every  known  calling  and  frequented 
the  oil  exchanges,  the  hotels,  the  theatres,  the  broth- 


Cjje  ^potter*  275 


els,  and  the  gambling  joints.  They  went  abroad  as 
drillers,  tool-sharpeners,  rig-builders,  pumpers,  teams 
ters,  or  what  not.  Some  of  them  seldom  saw  the  light 
of  day,  but  prowled  about  at  night,  skulking  up  to 
the  wells,  trailing  the  footsteps  of  the  moonshiners, 
eaves-dropping  upon  well-owners,  seducing  into  low 
resorts  men  from  whom  they  desired  information,  and 
there  plying  them  with  liquor.  They  paid  few  visits 
to  headquarters,  making  their  reports  in  cipher  and 
concealing  them  in  designated  places  whence  they 
were  secured  by  others  and  conveyed  to  the  chief  —  a 
dignitary  who  moved  about  from  place  to  place  and 
who  never  appeared  in  the  prosecutions,  but  whose 
duty  it  was  to  discover  through  his  band  of  "spotters" 
evidence  of  such  violations  as  he  could,  and  then  give 
the  information  to  those  who  carried  on  the  open 
work  of  legal  attack. 

Though  the  calling  of  the  spotter  may  have  been 
a  wholly  honorable  and  necessary  one,  those  who 
pursued  it  in  the  oil  regions  were  hated  with  the  same 
intensity  that  is  poured  out  upon  the  informer  against 
an  illicit  still  in  the  mountains  of  Tennessee.  He 
was  called  a  sneak,  an  underhanded  villain,  a  black 
mailer,  a  spy  in  the  interests  of  oppressive  tyrants,  a 
creature  who  crawled  upon  you  while  you  slept.  It 
was  not  a  serious  matter  in  the  eyes  of  many  if  a 
party  of  drillers  caught  him,  beat  him  into  insensi 
bility,  rolled  him  in  crude  petroleum  and  dirt,  and 
then  threw  him  into  a  stream  to  crawl  out,  or  sink, 


276  c&e  Spotter* 

as  might  happen.  It  was  not  a  crime  that  awakened 
horror  and  repugnance  if  the  body  of  a  spotter  was 
found  in  the  woods  with  a  moonshiner's  bullet 
through  his  head.  Even  those  owners  who  paid  their 
royalties  to  the  company  and  had  their  wells  tor 
pedoed  by  licensed  agents  hated  the  spotter,  and  when 
discovered  drove  him  from  the  premises  with  threats 
of  violence  should  he  return. 

No  man  of  character  became  a  spotter.  And  what 
more  natural  than  that  he  who  had  been  the  plotting 
and  dishonest  speculator,  the  fugitive  and  buncoed 
promoter,  should  become  chief  of  the  hated  spot 
ters? 

Such  was  Eli  Wheeler. 


277 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  MOONSHINER. 

DUNCAN  CAMEKON  was  proceeding  from  the  group 
of  wells  which  he  designated  as  headquarters  to  a 
distant  section  of  the  tract  where  a  gang  of  men 
were  erecting  new  derricks.  He  was  on  horseback, 
picking  his  way  along  a  rough  road  through  the 
woods  and  thinking  at  that  instant  only  of  the  warmth 
of  the  day,  the  bursting  of  the  leaf-buds,  the  piping 
calls  of  birds,  and  the  carpet  of  green  springing  up 
through  the  leaves  of  last  Autumn,  all  gem-sparkled 
with  flowers.  Suddenly  his  horse  leaped  sidewise, 
almost  unseating  his  rider,  reared,  wheeled  and 
sprung  forward.  Cameron  brought  the  animal  to 
quick  control,  and  looking  for  the  cause  of  the  fright, 
saw  coiled,  ready  to  strike,  almost  at  the  exact  point 
where  the  horse  was  startled,  a  monster  rattlesnake. 
The  reptile  uncoiled  and  glided  toward  him,  and 
Cameron,  slipping  from  the  saddle,  advanced.  Like 
the  flash  of  a  whip-lash  the  coil  reformed,  but  as 
the  flattened  head  arose  and  drew  back  for  the  fatal 
leap,  Cameron  reached  forward  and  by  a  sharp, 


278 

powerful  blow  from  his  riding  whip  paralyzed  the 
squirming  body  as  with  a  shock  of  electricity.  Seiz 
ing  a  stone,  he  finished  his  work  with  one  crushing 
blow.  Shuddering,  almost  sickened,  by  the  terror 
and  revulsion  that  came  over  him  at  the  sight  of  a 
reptile,  Cameron  stepped  backward  two  or  three  paces 
and  stood  wiping  his  brow. 

"There's  a  lot  of  them  damned  rattlers  along  this 
run." 

Cameron  turned  in  amazement.  A  few  yards  back 
upon  the  road  a  young  man  was  holding  Cameron's 
horse  and  by  reassuring  strokes  of  the  hand  and  gentle 
words  was  quieting  the  animal's  terror. 

"Lucky,  I  was  back  here  beside  the  road,  Mr. 
Cameron,  or  you  would  have  had  a  five-mile  walk." 

"CoonTubbs!" 

"Sure;  just  plain  Coon  to  you  every  time.  I've 
lost  all  my  airs,  Mr.  Cameron.  You  can  call  me 
Coon  without  my  getting  mad  now." 

"But — but  what  are  you  doing  here?" 

"Watching  you  make  the  prettiest  kill  of  a  rattler 
I  ever  saw,  and  then  catching  your  horse  for  you. 
I  generally  shoot  'em — the  rattlers — when  I  dast,  and 
jest  now  happens  to  be  a  time  when  I  dassent.  Next 
to  a  spotter  they're  the  damndest,  meanest  critters 
on  top  of  ground.  Neither  of  them — spotters  or  ratt 
lers — is  safe  to  handle  except  at  the  end  of  a  bullet." 

"Why,  Coon,  you  can't  know  how  surprised  I  am 
to  see  you,"  and  Cameron  stepped  forward  and  took 


C6e  Spotter,  279 


the  young  man  by  the  hand.  "I  have  been  making 
all  sorts  of  inquiries  to  learn  something  about  you, 
and  your  father  has  been  trying  to  find  you  for  two 
years." 

"Dad  ain't  the  only  one  what's  looking  for  me." 

"You  surely  aren't  in  trouble  again  with  the 
authorities,  Coon?" 

"No  ;  jest  with  the  spotters,  that's  all." 

"You've  been  moonshining,  then?" 

"Well,  I  wouldn't  care  to  say  so  before  everybody, 
Mr.  Cameron,  but  you  are  wheat,  and  so  I  won't  deny 
the  profession.  I've  been  told  you  don't  allow  any 
of  it  on  your  tract,  but  I  guess  that,  to  come  right 
down  to  it,  you'll  admit  that  moonshining  is  jest  as 
honest  as  to  hold  an  owner  up  for  three  hundred  dol 
lars  for  shootin'  a  well  when  the  whole  cost  ain't  more 
than  fifty.  And  when  it  conies  to  spotting  —  why, 
moonshining  is  preaching  and  praying  alongside  that 
occupation." 

"But  how  do  you  happen  to  be  here,  Coon  ?  There's 
no  work  here,  is  there  ?" 

"It's  like  this,  Mr.  Cameron:  I've  moonshined  all 
over  the  regions,  both  upper  and  lower.  I've  shot 
wells  in  Shamburg,  Venango,  Pithole,  Oleopolis, 
Bonanza  Pool,  and  on  every  tract  in  the  lower  coun 
try,  and  the  spotters  never  touched  me.  And  I've 
been  all  over  this  region  and  shot  wells  at  Derrick 
City,  Lewis  Run,  Summit  City,  Big  Shanty,  Tuna, 
Tionesta,  Kinzua  and  everywhere  else,  and  they 


280 


didn't  catch  me  here.  I've  been  backwards  and  for 
wards  from  one  region  to  the  other,  and  I've  fooled 
them  every  time  for  two  years.  Well,  about  two 
months  ago  I  got  word  that  orders  had  been  put  out 
to  bring  me  down,  dead  or  alive,  or  else  git  off  the 
job.  Then  things  fell  off,  and  for  a  month  they  let 
me  have  my  own  run.  I  almost  thought  that  it  was 
a  false  report,  till  one  day  I  come  to  and  found  their 
damned  slippery  chief  right  at  my  heels.  He  had 
called  off  the  whole  force  and  set  out  to  take  care  of 
me,  himself,  and  sence  that  time  he's  give  me  a  rustle 
for  my  money  every  hour.  I  ain't  shot  but  three 
wells  in  a  month  on  account  of  him,  and  so  I  slipped 
over  here  into  an  unsuspected  tract  to  git  him  off  the 
scent.  I  left  him  down  near  Pithole  —  flew  the  roost 
at  night;  but  I  don't  think  he's  shook  for  good,  and 
I've  made  up  my  mind  to  take  a  vacation  over  in 
York  State." 

"Who  is  this  chief,  Coon  ?" 

"Why,  don't  you  know,  Mr.  Cameron  ?  He's  that 
lying,  thieving,  sneaking  slippery  skunk  of  a  brother- 
in-law  of  mine  —  Eli  Wheeler  —  meaner  than  that 
rattler  there  ;  but  the  cutest  damned  spotter  in  Penn 
sylvania." 

"Wheeler!     Coon,  do  you  say  that  Eli  Wheeler 


P-i-n-g  !  There  was  a  hot  puff  of  air  against  Cam 
eron's  cheek  and  a  sharp  snap  of  something  in  Coon's 
right  arm,  and  then  the  report  of  a  rifle.  Nerveless, 


Clje  Spotter,  asi 


Coon's  fingers  unclasped  from  the  bridle  and  his  arm 
dropped  and  hung  useless.  With  his  uninjured  hand 
he  clutched  his  side,  and  to  his  lips  and  face  came 
the  pallor  of  sudden  pain.  He  reeled  and  would  have 
fallen  had  not  Cameron  bore  him  up. 

"Coon  —  you  are  wounded  !" 

"Yes,"  throwing  off  the  faintness  that  came  upon 
him  and  crouching  upon  the  ground.  "It's  Wheeler  — 
quick,  drop  down  here  beside  me  or  he'll  plug  you, 
too.  Down,  down  Mr.  Cameron,  the  bushes  will  give 
us  some  protection  !"  And  he  pulled  Cameron  to  the 
ground  beside  him. 

"Got  a  shooter?  !No,  well  take  one  of  mine  —  I 
can't  use  but  one  hand  anyway.  Now  watch  out  for 
him  through  the  bushes  there,  and  fire  if  you  see 
a  shadow  or  a  moving  branch.  I'll  watch  the  rear 
and  this  side,  for  some  of  his  gang  may  be  with 
him.  Damn  his  hide,  he's  got  us  in  a  pocket  and  may 
bring  us  both  down." 

"Are  you  hurt  badly,  Coon  ?" 

"I  don't  know,  and  I  don't  care  if  I  only  get  one 
shot  at  Wheeler.  My  arm  is  snapped  and  bleeding 
and  I  guess  there's  a  hole  in  my  side  ;  but  I  can  hang 
on  for  a  time." 

Cameron  thrust  the  revolver  into  his  pocket  and 
moved  over  beside  Coon. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  ?" 

"Dress  your  wounds  as  best  I  can." 


282  c&e  Spotter, 

"You  musn't  try  it,  Mr.  Cameron.  Wheeler'll 
creep  up  on  us  and  shoot  you." 

"Then  let  him  do  it.  I  am  not  going  to  see  you 
bleed  to  death.  You  can  watch  while  I  work." 

With  his  knife  Cameron  cut  away  the  sleeves  of 
Coon's  coat  and  shirt.  He  made  a  tourniquet 
of  some  of  the  strips  of  cloth  and  with  this 
soon  stopped  the  flow  of  blood.  Then  he  cut  and 
pulled  away  the  clothing  from  the  young  man's  side. 
He  judged  that  the  bullet  had  glanced  along  the  ribs 
and  was  lodged  somewhere  in  the  back,  but  was  not 
sure.  The  bleeding  must  be  stopped,  for  Coon  was 
growing  weak.  Cameron  made  a  compress  of  his 
handkerchief  and  bound  it  in  place  upon  Coon's  side 
with  another  bandage.  Every  instant,  Coon  pro 
tested  and  urged  Cameron  to  be  on  his  guard,  but 
the  man  gave  no  reply  and  worked  as  rapidly  and 
freely  as  though  danger  had  never  been  born. 

Fifty  yards  away  along  the  bank,  Eli  Wheeler,  in 
the  thick  branches  of  a  small  hemlock,  swore  under  his 
breath  and  twisted  and  pounded  the  lock  of  his  rifle 
with  his  hands.  The  firing  pin,  rusted  by  exposure 
to  storms  and  night,  stuck  in  its  place  and  the 
charging  lever  could  not  be  worked.  He  dared  not 
leave  his  place  of  concealment  and  approach  within 
revolver  range,  for  that  would  put  him  at  disad 
vantage  with  those  whom  he  sought  to  kill,  and  so 
each  moment  as  he  jerked  nervously  upon  the  lever 
the  arm  became  more  nearly  useless. 


Cfte  Spotter.  233 

The  horse,  cropping  the  sweet  tops  of  bath  and 
squirrel  corn  under  the  bushes,  a  few  yards  from 
where  Coon  lay  pillowed  on  Cameron's  coat  with 
Cameron  seated  beside  him,  raised  its  head  and 
whinnied. 

"Some  one  is  coming,"  said  Coon,  attempting  to 
rise. 

"Yes,"  said  Cameron,  gently  holding  the  boy  back, 
"but  you  lie  still.  I'll  do  the  fighting  if  there's  any 
to  be  done." 

He  listened  intently  a  moment  and  then  smiled. 
"It  is  all  right,  Coon.  It  is  our  teams  with  material 
for  the  new  wells.  We'll  have  help  in  a  few  minutes." 

The  men  came  on — four  of  them,  with  two  loaded 
wagons,  each  drawn  by  four  horses.  But  before  they 
came  to  the  side  of  the  superintendent,  Wheeler 
slipped  from  his  hiding  place  and,  skulking  low, 
noiselessly  ran  up  over  the  brow  of  the  hill  and  dis 
appeared.  They  found  his  rifle  where  he  had  dropped 
it  near  the  foot  of  the  hemlock,  and  then  they  knew 
how  it  was  than  Duncan  Cameron  had  not  been  the 
victim  of  an  assassin's  bullet. 

Hours  later,  when  Coon  Tubbs  was  lifted  tenderly 
from  the  mattress  of  boughs  that  covered  one  of  the 
wagons  and  was  carried  into  Cameron's  room  in  the 
little  old  farmhouse  at  headquarters  and  placed  upon 
the  bed,  he  was  babbling  the  incoherent  sentences  of 
the  fever-crazed. 


284  C6e  Spotter* 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

ANXIOUS  HOURS. 

DOCTOR  WILLIAM  Ross  had  been  located  in  Bradan 
for  somewhat  over  a  year.  The  growth  of  his  prac 
tice  was  by  no  means  rapid,  but  as  it  increased  a 
little  each  month  he  felt  justified  in  saying  in  his 
letters  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Purdee  that  he  "was  making 
way."  Since  his  arrival  at  Bradan,  Dr.  Ross  had 
been  most  discreet  and  careful  in  his  deportment,  and 
there  were  none  who  guessed  the  real  cause  of  his 
coming  to  America.  He  called  each  week  upon  Mrs. 
Cameron  and  Agnes,  and  became  very  friendly  with 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tubbs.  When  Cameron  came  home, 
as  he  did  frequently  to  remain  over  Sunday,  Dr. 
Ross  was  invited  to  take  dinner  with  them.  In  this 
way  he  saw  Mrs.  Wheeler  often ;  but  he  had  solemnly 
promised  the  Rev.  Mr.  Purdee  before  he  left  Scot 
land,  that  neither  by  word  nor  by  manner  would  he 
disclose  to  any  one  his  love  for  the  woman  who  had 
no  right  to  accept  his  addresses,  and  the  promise  was 
kept. 

Though  her  father  protested  and  declared  over  and 


Cije  Spotter,  285 

over  again  that  it  was  not  necessary  for  her  to  do  so, 
Mrs.  Wheeler  took  active  part  in  the  work  in  which 
he  was  engaged.  After  some  persuasion,  Mr.  Tubbs 
permitted  her  to  open  for  him  a  regular  set  of  account 
books,  whereas  heretofore  he  had  made  almost 
illegible  memoranda  of  insignificant  matters  upon  the 
walls  of  his  office  or  on  bits  of  paper,  and  "carried 
in  his  head"  the  greater  transactions.  She  wrote  his 
letters,  kept  account  of  stock,  made  trips  into  the 
country  to  procure  supplies,  and  sometimes  even 
purchased  horses  which  were  brought  for  sale  when 
her  father  chanced  to  be  away. 

"Betsey's  got  better  sense  about  a  hoss  than  two- 
thirds  o'  the  men,"  Tubbs  would  say.  "She  don't 
appear  ter  hev  any  scientific  knowledge  about  'em 
either;  but  w'en  she  looks  at  one  an'  draws  a  line 
over  him,  an'  sorter  sizes  him  up,  she  jest  seems  ter 
know  how  much  he's  wuth  to  a  dollar.  She  jest  looks 
right  through  'em  an'  sees  all  thet  ain't  right,  or  all 
thet's  sound  an'  val'able  at  er  glance.  Dum  curious 
she  couldn't  hev  exercised  ther  same  judgment  when 
thet  dum — But  here,  I  wasn't  never  goin'  to  say 
nothin'  about  thet  any  more." 

The  telegram  which  Doctor  Ross  received  from 
Cameron  just  at  the  edge  of  evening  read  as  follows : 

"HEMLOCK  RUN,  May  16th. 
"Dr.  William  Ross,  Bradan. 

"Have  found  Coon  Tubbs.    He  is  badly  injured  by 


286 

accident;  gunshot  wound.  Come  at  once.  Have 
Tubbs  and  Betsey  come  with  you.  Edgert  will  bring 
you  from  junction.  DUNCAN  CAMERON." 

Ross  hurried  over  to  the  sales-stables  to  acquaint 
Mr.  Tubbs  with  the  news,  and  was  there  met  by  Mrs. 
Wheeler,  who  informed  him  that  her  father  had  the 
day  before  gone  to  Canada  to  purchase  horses  and 
would  not  return  for  several  days. 

The  doctor  hesitated  a  moment  and  then  said:  "I 
have  both  good  news  and  bad  news  for  you — I  hope 
more  that  is  good  than  is  bad.  Shall  I  tell  it  ?" 

Into  Betsey's  mind  flashed  the  thought  that  this 
man  had  something  to  tell  about  her  husband — some 
thing  that  she  would  not  like  to  hear  from  his  lips. 
The  doctor  half-divined  of  what  she  was  thinking. 

"It  is  about  your  brother  and  comes  from  Cam 
eron." 

A  quick  gasp  of  relief.  "Yes ;  what  is  it  ?  Is  he 
ill— in  trouble  ?" 

Ross  handed  her  the  message  and  she  read  it  twice 
thiough. 

"When  can  you  go  ?" 

"On  the  freight  and  passenger  at  8 :10." 

"I  will  be  at  the  depot  and  go  with  you,"  she  re 
plied,  and  turned  away  to  give  directions  to  the  fore 
man. 

As  the  way-freight  slowly  dragged  its  length  up 
into  the  oil  regions,  stopping  long  periods  at  each  sta- 


Cfje 

tion  to  cut  out  or  pick  up  cars  and  load  or  unload 
merchandise  and  supplies,  Betsey  and  Doctor  Ross 
talked  little.  She  told  the  doctor  how  difficult  it  had 
been  to  induce  her  mother  to  stay  at  home,  and  how 
she  finally  succeeded  in  doing  so  by  telling  her  that 
some  one  must  remain  to  get  a  room  ready  to  receive 
the  injured  boy  and  prepare  against  his  coming. 
"Poor  mother,"  she  said,  "is  not  strong  enough  for 
the  trip,  and  she  would  have  been  too  nearly  worn 
out  and  too  nervous  to  have  been  of  assistance.  But  it 
grieved  me  to  leave  her  there,  for  she  pleaded  so  to 
see  her  boy.  Do  you  believe,  doctor,  that  a  mother  ever 
loses  any  of  her  love  for  a  son — no  matter  how  wild 
he  may  be,  or  what  trouble  he  may  fall  into,  or  how 
completely  he  may  desert  her  ?" 

"No;  I  think  not — I  hope  not.  It  is  too  beauti 
ful  a  love  to  be  lost.  It  is  next  to  God's  love  for 
man." 

"It  is  God's  love  for  man,  manifested  through  the 
woman,"  she  replied. 

It  was  after  midnight  when  they  reached  the  junc 
tion.  Edgert  was  waiting  on  the  depot  platform,  for 
the  way-freight  was  an  uncertain  quantity  and  ran 
wholly  regardless  of  time  schedule.  He  sent  Mrs. 
Wheeler  into  the  house  while  he  went  with  Ross 
to  bring  out  the  team. 

"She  need  not  know  it  at  present,"  he  said  to  the 
doctor  when  they  were  hitching  the  horses  to  the 


288  C!)e  Spotter* 

wagon,  "but  the  shot  that  wounded  Coon  was  fired 
by  Wheeler." 

"Her  husband?" 

"The  same.  He's  a  spotter  for  the  Torpedo  Com 
pany  and  has  been  after  Coon  for  a  month.  It  was 
a  plain  enough  try  at  murder,  only  it  can't  be  proved 
as  no  one  saw  him  fire  the  shot." 

"Monstrous !     He  ought  to  be  brought  to  justice." 

"There's  nothing  around  here  by  that  name  since 
the  Cygnet  got  its  grip  on  the  country.  If  Eli  Wheeler 
ever  gets  all  that's  coming  to  him  it  will  have  to  be 
through  some  other  route  than  is  furnished  by  the 
courts.  Do  you  carry  a  gun  ?" 

"No.     I  have  never  had  occasion  to." 

"Well,  you  take  this  one.  Put  it  in  your  overcoat 
pocket  until  we  get  away  from  the  lights  and  then 
hold  it  in  your  hand  ready  for  use  all  the  way.  It 
works  by  just  pulling  the  trigger  like  this."  And 
Edgert  slipped  the  chamber  out  of  the  revolver  and 
illustrated  its  action.  "Betsey'll  sit  on  the  front  seat 
with  me,  and  you  keep  your  eyes  and  ears  open  for 
the  rear  of  the  wagon.  But  don't  you  fire  a  shot 
unless  you  get  a  cue  from  me." 

"What  danger  should  there  be,  Mr.  Edgert?  I 
don't  understand  it." 

"There  mayn't  be  danger,  and  then  again  there 
may.  Wheeler  is  somewhere  in  this  section  and 
probably  has  other  spotters  with  him.  He  knows 
what's  going  on;  he  is  a  desperate  chap,  and  under 


Cfte  ^potter.  239 


cover  of  night  may  make  us  trouble.  It  is  a  solitary- 
bit  of  road  from  here  to  Hemlock,  and  the  men  in  the 
oil  regions  ain't  all  Sunday  School  boys.  You  just 
hold  on  to  the  butt  of  that  gun,  doctor,  and  though 
it  may  not  do  any  good,  it  won't  do  any  harm.  And 
remember,  too,  that  I've  got  another  one  just  like  it 
right  here  where  its  handy." 

So  they  started  away  for  a  fourteen-mile  drive 
through  the  night  to  Hemlock.  The  road  lay  for 
some  distance  alongside  one  of  the  railroads,  and  then 
turned  to  the  right  and  wound  up  the  side  of  the 
range  of  hills  which  separated  the  valleys.  The  hiss 
ing  natural  gas  torches  about  the  junction,  re 
flected  upon  the  low,  dark  clouds,  gave  for  a  time 
some  light  on  their  way,  but  as  they  mounted  the 
rough,  stony  road  and  wound  in  and  out  crossing  ra 
vines  that  cut  the  mountain  side  into  huge  windrows, 
the  darkness  settled  in  upon  them,  and  Ross,  for  the 
first  time  in  his  life,  begun  to  realize  the  full  mean 
ing  of  solitude.  Far  back,  he  occasionally  caught  a 
glimpse  of  tiny  specks  of  light,  the  glow  of  red  and 
green  signals  along  the  railroad  tracks,  but,  as  he 
watched,  they  turned  the  sharp  shoulder  of  the  hill 
and  even  the  cheery  sparkle  of  the  glow-worm  lamps 
at  the  junction  were  hidden  from  view. 

Mr.  Edgert  told  Mrs.  Wheeler  briefly  as  they  were 
driving  away  from  the  hotel  that  the  messenger  sent 
out  by  Cameron  had  hurried  back  with  a  few  articles 
needed  for  her  brother.  He  said  nothing  about  the 


290  Cfie 

accident,  save  that  it  had  occurred  some  dis 
tance  from  headquarters,  and  that  the  wounded  man 
had  suffered  greatly  while  they  were  carrying  him  to 
shelter.  Then  Edgert  gave  his  whole  attention  to  his 
horses  and  spoke  only  to  caution  or  encourage  the 
animals  in  the  most  difficult  portions  of  the  road. 

The  forest  took  on  strange,  gloomy,  dark  shapes. 
Blackened  and  denuded  trunks,  reaching  above  the 
second  growth  and  seen  dimly  against  the  horizon, 
were  uncouth  and  grotesque  figures,  with  stunted, 
crooked  arms  flung  widely  out  as  if  in  fear.  Clusters 
of  small  trees  and  tangled  bushes  became  mysterious 
envelopes  of  darkness  which  might  conceal  either  men 
or  beasts  of  evil  disposition.  The  sweep  of  the 
branches  against  their  faces  as  they  drove  where 
underbrush  crowded  in  upon  the  track,  was  the 
swish  of  lassoes  thrown  swiftly  out  or  dangled  over 
head  by  unseen  hands  to  catch  them.  The  crunch 
and  grind  of  the  wagon  tires  upon  the  stones  were 
murmuring  protests  against  their  progress.  Fre 
quently,  the  iron-shod  feet  of  the  horses,  scraping 
upon  the  rocks  which  were  everywhere,  struck  a 
flash  of  fire  which  was  gone  in  so  brief  an  instant 
that  it  scarcely  left  its  impress.  When  the  horses 
came  to  a  halt  for  a  breathing  space,  the  solitude  in 
creased,  for  then  the  rasping  of  the  wagon  wheels, 
the  sharp  hoof-stroke  and  the  squeaking  of  the  har 
ness  leather  was  stilled,  and  only  the  hot,  beating 


291 


breath  of  the  laboring  horses  broke  a  stillness  that 
was  more  impressive  than  the  darkness. 

They  paused  for  a  brief  rest  at  the  top  of  the  hill 
before  going  down  the  other  side.  It  was  in  a  clear 
ing,  made  years  before  by  a  great  sweep  of  wind  that 
tumbled  down  acres  of  timber,  like  so  many  match 
sticks. 

"Why  didn't  you  bring  a  lantern,  Mr.  Edgert  ?" 
asked  Mrs.  Wheeler. 

"There's  one  in  the  wagon,"  he  said,  "under  the 
back  seat." 

"Then  why  not  light  it  ?  I  could  hold  it  over  the 
side  and  it  would  be  ever  so  much  more  cheerful." 

"The  light  from  it  would  be  unsteady,  and  it  would 
confuse  the  horses  and  make  it  harder  for  them  to 
follow  the  road  than  it  is  now." 

"Is  that  the  only  reason,  Mr.  Edgert?" 

"Y-e-s  —  that's  the  only  reason  I  can  think  of." 
Then  they  went  forward,  rocking,  plunging,  tipping 
half-way  over  on  one  side  to  be  thrown  back  again  and 
half-way  over  the  other  the  next  moment;  the  wagon 
groaning  and  banging;  the  horses  stumbling  into 
washouts  and  climbing  over  rocks;  past  the  grim 
shapes  ;  under  the  lassoes  —  down  and  down  —  miles  it 
seemed  to  Ross  and  Betsey,  into  a  valley  that  had  no 
outline  or  shape  but  looked  ever  like  an  abyss  of 
deepest  night. 

At  the  bottom,  they  came  upon  a  smoother  and 
pleasanter  bit  of  road,  past  open  fields  and  some  barns 


292 

and  houses,  which  they  saw  in  dim  outline  and  from 
which  came  the  barking  of  dogs.  Two  or  three  times 
they  crept  over  rickety  bridges,  and  once  they  had  to 
ford  a  stream.  Wherever  possible,  Edgert  urged  his 
horses  to  a  trot,  but  the  night  was  too  dark  and  the 
track  too  uncertain  for  speed. 

"Isn't  that  the  throb  of  an  engine?"  asked  Ross 
as  they  neared  the  upper  end  of  the  valley. 

"Yes,  we  are  coming  to  some  rigs,"  replied  Edgert, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  they  turned  a  jutting  point  of 
the  hill  and  again  saw  the  blaze  of  gas  before  them. 

The  road  ran  quite  close  to  one  of  the  derricks  and 
a  driller  stood  in  the  doorway. 

"Mornin',  Edgert,"  said  the  man.  "Goin'  over 
ter  Hemlock?" 

"Yes,  Gross;  that's  where  I'm  bound  for.  What 
time  is  it  ?" 

"Just  past  two.  Been  some  shootin'  over  there,  we 
heard." 

"Yes,  an  accident.     I've  got  the  doctor." 

"Accident,  hell!  'Twas  a  plain  case  of  a  spotter 
tryin'  ter  kill  a  moonshiner." 

Edgert  started  his  horses  forward  before  the  sen 
tence  was  finished  and  made  no  reply. 

"You  better  wait  here  for  daylight,"  shouted  the 
man. 

There  was  no  answer,  and  the  driller  went  back 
to  his  place  beside  the  casing  and  twisted  down  the 
stem  of  the  mighty  drill. 


C&e  Spotter*  293 

Soon  the  road  grew  rough  and  uneven  again  and 
very  slowly  they  mounted  another  great  hill,  doubling 
back  at  length  and  finally  coming  to  a  point  fifteen 
hundred  feet  above  the  wells  where  they  had  spoken 
with  the  driller.  They  had  travelled  for  miles  back 
and  forth  upon  the  side  of  the  mountain  and  were 
still  so  near  the  wells  that  they  could  hear  the  rattle 
of  the  bull-wheel  and  the  coughing  of  the  exhaust 
pipe. 

"What  wells  are  those  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Wheeler  when 
the  horses,  nearing  the  top  of  the  long  climb,  stopped 
again  to  rest. 

"The  ones  at  Hunt's  which  we  passed  a  while 
back,"  answered  Edgert. 

"It  seems  hours  since  we  left  them,"  said  Mrs. 
Wheeler. 

"You  must  be  very  tired,"  said  Ross.  "This  is  a 
terrible  ride  for  you  to  take  in  the  night" 

"No  more  terrible  than  for  you  and  for  Mr.  Ed 
gert;  and  I  am  not  tired,  but  very  anxious."  Then, 
turning  to  Edgert,  she  said  in  a  low  tone:  "Mr. 
Edgert,  who  shot  my  brother  ?" 

"Oh,  I  don't  know,  Betsey.  Really  I  don't.  The 
messenger  told  me  only  a  few  details,  and  I  didn't 
more  than  half -listen  to  him.  Gee  up,  boys;  gee 
up ;  its  coming  daylight." 

And  then  Ross  noticed  for  the  first  time  that  the 
strange  shapes,  which  had  been  slowly  moving  back 
of  them  as  if  to  fall  in  with  a  procession  of  phantoms, 


294  Cfte 

were  taking  dim  but  more  tangible  forms,  still 
ghostly,  distorted  and  forbidding.  The  light  came 
slowly,  creeping  on  as  though  discouraged  with  the 
task  of  always  driving  the  darkness  before  it  and 
finding  that  the  places  it  had  kissed  into  life  and 
warmed  and  vivified  the  day  before,  so  soon  became 
dark  and  cold  and  sodden  when  it  left  them  for 
a  time.  Ross  watched  its  coming  with  more  than 
usual  interest,  for  he  now  began  to  realize  fully  the 
character  of  the  country  they  had  passed  through  in 
the  darkness.  The  frowsy,  bushy  fields,  the  patches 
of  half-cut  woodland,  the  twisting,  rocky  roadway, 
the  sheer  descent,  at  times  starting  from  the  very 
edge  of  the  wagon  track,  inviting  a  plunge  and  tumble 
hundreds  of  feet  down  the  mountain  side,  the  frown 
ing  masses  of  rock  that  threatened  to  slide  upon  them 
• — the  neglected,  desolate,  discouraging,  hopeless  ap 
pearance  of  a  lumber  country  where  the  soil  does 
not  invite  cultivation  of  the  fields  after  lumbermen 
and  fire  have  together  carried  on  their  destructive 
work — all  these  pressed  upon  him  as  the  daylight 
slowly  made  its  way. 

Looking  back,  just  as  they  turned  one  of  the  numer 
ous  curves  in  the  road,  Ross  saw  two  men  step  out 
of  the  thick  fringe  of  bushes  through  which  they  were 
moving  and  hurry  forward  after  them.  He  touched 
Edgert  on  the  arm  and  whispered  in  his  ear  that  two 
men  were  following.  Betsey,  worn  with  the  journey, 


295 


leaned  half-asleep  upon  Edgert's  shoulder  and  did 
not  hear. 

"Yes,"  said  Edgert  quietly,  "they've  been  with  us 
since  we  left  the  top  of  the  hill.  We've  passed  them 
twice." 

"Who  are  they  ?" 

"Spotters,  I  suppose.  They  skulk  along  behind 
us  a  ways  and  then  where  the  road  turns  they  cut 
across  and  wait  for  us  to  pass  them  again.  What 
you  going  to  do  ?"  as  Ross  threw  the  blankets  from 
his  lap  and  started  to  leave  the  wagon. 

"I'm  going  back  to  have  it  out  with  the  scoundrels 
right  now." 

"You  ain't  going  to  do  any  such  thing,"  replied 
Edgert  so  emphatically  that  Mrs.  Wheeler  sat  up  with 
a  start.  "If  that  boy  is  alive  up  at  Hemlock,  you 
are  wanted  there,  and  if  he  isn't,  I'll  come  back  with 
you  on  your  hunt." 

"What  is  it,  Mr.  Edgert  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Wheeler. 

"Oh,  the  doctor  thought  he  saw  a  bear  and  he 
wanted  to  chase  him  —  with  nothing  but  a  revolver  to 
fight  with,"  was  the  reply. 

She  looked  at  the  doctor  with  a  puzzled  expression. 
"Oh,  Dr.  Ross,  you  surely  could  not  be  so  careless. 
And  besides,  we  are  almost  there,  aren't  we,  Mr. 
Edgert  ?" 

"Yes,  in  ten  minutes  we  will  be  down  the  hill  and 
find  a  better  road,  and  then  it  is  but  a  short  distance. 
P-h-e-w!"  And  he  brought  the  horses  to  their 


296  c&e  Spotter* 

haunches,  so  suddenly  did  he  halt  them.  Out  of  the 
half-light  of  the  dawn  in  front  of  them  rode  two  men 
on  horseback  with  rifles  across  their  saddle  bows. 

"Helloa,  Edgert,"  shouted  a  voice  they  all  knew. 

"Cameron,  as  I'm  a  sinner !"  said  Edgert  with  evi 
dent  relief,  as  the  riders  came  forward  and  greeted 
them  warmly. 

"Mr.  Cameron,  is  my  brother —  "  Betsey  asked, 
not  daring  to  finish  the  sentence. 

"He  is  alive,  and  I  think  he  can  be  saved.  Anxiety 
to  do  what  I  could  for  him  kept  me  at  the  house  or  I 
should  have  met  you  nearer  the  junction." 

He  looked  inquiringly  at  Edgert,  who  in  turn  made 
a  quick  motion  with  his  thumb  over  his  shoulder,  and 
a  significant  glance  passed  between  them.  The  horse 
men  fell  in  behind  the  wagon,  and,  as  soon  as  the 
mountain  was  safely  passed,  the  party  pushed  ahead 
and  came  to  Cameron's  headquarters  just  as  the  sun 
was  rising. 


Cfje  Spotter*  297 


CHAPTEK  XXXIII. 

COON  DISCOVERS  A  SECEET. 

IT  was  a  month  before  Coon  Tubbs  was  able,  with 
the  help  of  his  mother  and  sister,  to  creep  out  of  bed 
and  sit  beside  the  window.  The  wound  in  his  side 
proved  a  most  dangerous  one,  and  for  several  days 
his  hold  upon  life  was  by  no  means  secure.  Dr.  Ross 
seldom  left  the  boy  during  these  first  days,  and  Bet 
sey,  with  that  intuitive  faculty  which  is  ever  the  sub 
ject  of  so  much  wonderment  in  women,  became  all  at 
once  a  competent  nurse  and  assistant,  requiring  but 
a  word  or  two  of  explanation  to  make  her  understand 
exactly  what  should  be  done  in  almost  any  emergency. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tubbs  came  on,  and  when  the  greatest 
danger  was  past,  Mr.  Tubbs  returned  home  to  send 
forward  furnishings  and  comforts  which  turned  the 
old  house  that  had  been  used  by  Cameron  as  an  office, 
sleeping-room  and  general  storage  for  supplies,  into 
a  cozy  and  acceptable  home. 

Dr.  Ross  had  not  been  with  them  in  a  fortnight, 
though  he  took  opportunity  several  times  to  send  to 
Coon  some  delicacy  which  he  knew  would  whet  the 
boy's  appetite  and  add  to  his  strength. 


298  Cfje 

When  finally  able  to  bear  his  weight  upon  his  feet, 
Coon  made  more  rapid  progress,  and  by  the  end  of 
June  he  could  take  walks  of  considerable  length. 
What  astonished  all  was  his  constant  good  nature  and 
gentleness.  Again  he  was  the  little  boy  of  the  farm, 
and  loved  them  all,  with  never  a  selfish,  petulant  word 
or  act  The  shadow  of  death  drove  away  the  con 
taminating  influences  of  the  dance  hall,  the  gambling 
den,  the  drinking  bout,  the  illegal  pursuit,  the  skulk 
ing  from  authorities.  The  patient  devotion  of  his 
sister  and  mother  through  long  nights  and  days,  the 
anxiety  of  his  father,  the  solicitude  of  Cameron,  the 
watchfulness  of  Dr.  Ross,  awakened  the  young  man's 
true  nature,  and  to  each  he  gave  back  in  joyous  laugh, 
cheerfulness  of  manner,  and  open  gratitude  full 
measure  of  repayment. 

"Coon,"  said  his  sister  one  day  as  they  sat  on  a 
favorite  knoll  on  the  hill  back  of  one  of  the  derricks 
and  watched  the  pumper  on  his  rounds,  "I  want  you 
to  tell  me  who  fired  the  bullet  that  wounded  you." 

"Oh,  pshaw,  Bet,  what  do  you  want  to  bother  your 
head  about  that  for  ?" 

"Well,  I  want  to  know  if  my  guess  has  been  cor 
rect" 

"To  tell  you  truly,  Bet,  I  don't  know  who  fired 
it" 

"But  you  have  suspicions  ?" 

"Yes,  though  they  may  not  be  right  I've  been  a 
moonshiner  a  long  time  and  have  given  the  Torpedo 


Cjje 

Company  a  whole  lot  of  trouble.  The  spotters  had 
been  trying  two  years  or  more  to  catch  me,  but  I 
dodged  them.  Probably  one  of  them  saw  me  and  took 
a  shot  just  for  luck,  thinking  he'd  wing  me." 

"You  were  talking  with  Mr.  Cameron  at  the  time, 
weren't  you,  Coon  ?" 

"Now,  who  told  you  that  ?" 

"Oh,  I've  heard  a  word  dropped  here  and  there, 
and  something  you  once  said  in  delirium  led  me  to 
believe  so." 

"And  don't  you  know  that  people  never  talk  real 
things  in  delirium?  You  are  a  pretty  nurse  to  be 
listening  to  what  your  patient  says,  and  then  bring 
it  up  against  him !"  and  he  reached  over  and  patted 
her  cheek. 

"Coon,  did  Wheeler  fire  that  shot  ?" 

He  looked  at  her  a  moment.  "I  don't  know,  Bet ; 
I  don't  know." 

"You  think  he  did,  don't  you  Coon  ?" 

"I  did  think  so;  it  may  have  been  one  of  fifty 
others." 

"But  why  should  any  of  the  others  want  to  kill 
Mr.  Cameron?" 

"See  here,  little  girl,  you  are  asking  too  many 
questions  of  a  sick  man,  and  I  can't  answer  them. 
There's  some  things  that  I  don't  know,  for  you  must 
remember  that  I've  been  tied  down  to  bed  for  a  month 
or  more  and  haven't  heard  the  news." 

Betsey,  looking  very  grave  and  serious,  for  a  few 


300  Cfte  Spotter. 

minutes  watched  the  regular  strokes  of  the  walking 
beam  of  the  derrick,  as  though  it  might  give  her  a 
solution  of  the  problems  which  bothered  her. 

"Dad  and  Dr.  Ross  are  coming  up  to-morrow, 
Coon." 

He  glanced  at  her  so  quickly,  and  with  so  much  of 
inquiry  in  his  face,  that  she  blushed  in  confusion. 

"Bet,  dear  Bet,  I  am  so  sorry  for  you!"  and  he 
took  her  hand  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips. 

"Why,  Coon,  what  do  you  mean  ?  I  don't  under 
stand,"  though  she  blushed  the  deeper  and  her  eyes 
swam  with  tears. 

"I've  seen  it,  Bet,  ever  since  I  first  came  to  myself 
and  found  you  and  the  doctor  watching  by  my  bed. 
You  have  tried  to  hide  it  even  from  yourself,  and  so 
has  he;  but  I  couldn't  help  knowing  it.  And  I've 
been  so  sorry  for  you  both,  because  I  couldn't  see 
any  way  out." 

"Hush,  Coon,  you  must  not  talk  like  that,  for  you 
say  things  which  I  have  not  permitted  myself  to 
think.  You  must  help  me,  Coon,  in  every  way,  and 
not  speak  like  that  again,  for  it  makes  it  so  much 
harder  for  me  to  bear." 

"Yes,  yes,  dear  sis;  I'll  help  you  if  I  can." 

"Well,  this  is  how  you  may  do  it.  The  doctor 
is  coming  up  with  dad  to  see  if  you  are  able  to  go 
home  to  Bradan.  When  we  get  back  there  I'm  going 
to  ask  dad  to  send  me  away  somewhere  to  school — " 

"To  school,  Bet?" 


Cfje  Spotter*  301 

"Yes,  where  I  may  take  up  some  study,  I  don't 
care  what — music,  bookkeeping,  teaching,  law,  en 
graving — any  of  the  many  things  in  which  women  are 
beginning  to  take  part.  He  will  object,  because  he 
is  making  money  and  he  will  think  it  is  not  necessary. 
But  he  now  places  great  dependence  upon  you,  Coon. 
He  says  you  have  seen  all  sides  of  life  and  know  what 
you  are  about,  and  so  if  you  join  in  with  me,  he  will 
give  his  consent." 

"And  do  you  think,  Bet,  that  you  can  forget  this — 
this  that  has  come  upon  you,  if  you  go  away  ?" 

"Coon,  I  have  learned  that  there  is  nothing  so  good 
for  a  sore  and  heavy  heart  as  work.  When  I  was  a 
prisoner  there  for  months  in  Paris,  starving  for  a 
word  from  home  and  praying  for  escape  from  the 
man  I  had  so  blindly  married,  I  found  relief  in  work 
— work  from  morning  till  late  at  night,  week  in  and 
week  out  for  two  years.  How  I  blessed  Mrs.  Cameron 
and  her  husband  that  in  their  home-school,  back  there 
in  the  valley,  they  gave  me  a  little  start  toward  an 
education,  for  when  I  plunged  into  the  study  of  the 
books  which  were  purchased  for  me,  the  weary  hours 
no  longer  weighed  me  down,  but  days  sped  almost 
without  notice." 

"I'll  help  you,  Bet,  if  you  think  it  will  make  you 
any  happier." 

And  she  took  his  thin,  white  hand  and  kissed  it. 

The  next  afternoon  Coon  called  to  his  sister  to  get 
her  hat  and  go  with  him  for  a  walk.  "We  may  be 


302  Cfje  Spotter* 

leaving  here  in  a  day  or  two,"  he  said,  "and  there's 
a  spot  down  the  road  a  bit  that  I  want  to  visit  before 
I  quit  the  oil  country." 

They  strolled  along  nearly  a  mile  from  the  settle 
ment  of  wells  and  in  the  direction  of  the  junction, 
until  they  were  nearing  one  of  the  steepest  hills  in  the 
vicinity.  Its  sides  were  covered  with  great  masses 
of  rocks,  broken  into  streets  and  alleys  of  so  regular 
a  character  that  the  place  was  known  as  Rock  City, 
and  was  visited  by  many  exploring  parties  everyyear. 
Trees  of  mammoth  size  grew  upon  the  tops  of  the 
rock  masses,  sending  their  roots  down  the  sides  of 
the  stones  into  the  soil  of  the  streets,  forming  fantas 
tic  loops,  swings,  ladders  and  festoons  which  in  turn 
furnished  lodging  places  for  soft  mosses,  lichens, 
and  ferns.  Under  the  thick  foliage  of  a  timbered 
tract,  which  up  to  that  time  had  defied  the  approach 
of  the  lumbermen,  it  was  a  dark  and  gloomy  spot  and 
few  cared  to  penetrate  further  than  a  half-dozen  of 
the  streets,  which  turned  so  many  angles  and  had 
such  peculiar  endings,  either  abrupt  or  tapering  down 
to  mere  fissures,  so  that  they  comprised  a  labyrinth 
from  which  it  was  not  always  easy  to  extricate  one's 
self. 

Just  where  the  road  turned  to  avoid  the  hill  and 
crept  along  through  a  dugway  above  the  stream,  Coon 
stopped  and  they  rested  a  few  minutes  under  a  maple. 

"You  have  walked  too  fast,"  said  his  sister.  "I 
should  have  cautioned  you  before." 


C&e  Spotter,  303 


"No,  I  am  not  tired,  but  I  wanted  to  rest  with 
you  here  a  little  before  I  go  up  amongst  the  rocks." 

"You  must  not  attempt  that,  Coon,  dear.  There 
is  nothing  you  care  to  see  in  the  rocks." 

"Yes,  there  is,  sis.  I've  got  a  cache  up  there  in  a 
cave." 

"A  cache  ?    I  don't  understand  you,  Coon." 

"Oh,  I  forgot;  you  are  not  a  moonshiner.  Well, 
I'll  tell  you.  We  moonshiners  had  to  pack  our 
glycerine  on  our  backs,  and  we  had  a  habit  of  hiding 
it  in  certain  places  near  wells  that  we  expected  to 
shoot,  or  in  any  good  territory.  Sometimes  we  would 
make  a  good  many  trips  and  get  a  whole  lot  of  the 
nitro  stored  up,  and  then  some  blamed  spotter  would 
catch  on  and  capture  the  supply.  Another  chap  and 
I  found  a  cave  up  here  in  the  city  a-ways,  and  when 
we  had  some  money  we  put  in  a  big  supply,  for  it  is 
in  a  mighty  safe  place.  Just  a  few  days  before  I  was 
shot,  my  chum  was  pinched  when  shooting  a  well 
over  near  Custer  City,  and  of  course  they  railroaded 
him  to  the  penitentiary  for  two  years  and  a  half. 

"Now,  you  see,  Bet,  I'm  going  out  of  the  moonshine 
business,  but  I  don't  want  to  leave  the  nitro  up  there 
in  the  rocks.  In  time,  some  excursion  party  might 
run  onto  it,  get  to  fooling  with  the  cans,  and  then 
there'd  be  trouble  for  innocent  people.  I've  written 
to  a  couple  of  the  boys  in  the  profession  telling  them 
where  they  can  find  it  and  promising  to  mark  the  spot 
for  them.  See  these  little  strips  of  cloth  —  red,  white, 


304 

blue  and  black,  and  then  the  same  thing  over  again  ? 
Well,  I've  promised  to  tie  these  along  the  way  in  ac 
cordance  with  a  plan  which  they  will  understand,  and 
then  my  work  will  be  finished  as  a  moonshiner." 

"You  are  not  strong  enough  to  do  this,  Coon.  Why 
not  explain  it  to  Mr.  Cameron  and  dad,  and  let  them 
attend  to  it?" 

"They  couldn't  find  the  place  in  a  thousand  years, 
Bet;  and,  besides  that,  it  would  be  mixing  them  up 
in  the  moonshine  business,  and  if  they  were  caught  at 
it — well,  it  would  be  another  victory  for  old  Lanphere 
and  a  certain  other  individual  both  of  us  know.  I 
can  do  it  all  right  and  keep  them  out  of  it,  for  it 
isn't  a  job  that  they  would  care  to  attempt.  You  stay 
here  beside  the  road  in  the  clearing  and  watch  for 
dad  and  Dr.  Ross.  They  ought  to  come  along  pretty 
soon,  and  maybe  we  can  get  a  ride  back  home  with 
them." 

He  fondled  her  hair  a  moment,  and  drew  her  head 
to  his  shoulder  and  kissed  her.  "Bet,  he  said,  "I 
used  never  to  think  that  you  would  be  such  a  pretty 
woman  as  you  are." 

"Fie,  Coon ;  I  am  afraid  you  are  a  flatterer." 

"No  flattery,  Bet,  dear ;  just  the  plain  truth."  And 
he  kissed  her  again  and  then  started  up  the  hill  whist 
ling.  She  heard  him  for  a  considerable  time,  and 
once  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  him  through  the  trees 
and  waved  her  handkerchief.  She  saw  him  reply 


305 

with  a  sweep  of  his  cap  and  a  motion  like  the  throw 
ing  of  a  kiss  from  his  hand. 

After  a  little,  Betsey  fell  to  watching  the  dugway, 
as  it  was  nearing  the  time  when  her  father  and  Dr. 
Ross  might  be  expected.  She  wondered  which  would 
observe  her  first,  for  she  made  up  her  mind  to  keep 
very  still  as  they  approached  and  see  if  they  would 
discover  her.  She  asked  herself  what  she  would  say 
to  the  doctor,  and  how  he  would  greet  her ;  and  then 
she  checked  herself,  endeavored  to  put  him  out  of  her 
thoughts,  and  turned  them  again  to  her  brother. 

Poor  lad,  what  a  hard  life  he  had  led — a  wanderer, 
a  castaway,  a  fugitive,  sometimes  sleeping  in  barns  or 
in  the  woods ;  often  creeping  along  over  rough  trails, 
pushing  through  brush,  wading  streams,  climbing  up 
and  down  hills  with  a  knapsack  on  his  back  contain 
ing  enough  of  the  explosive  to  send  a  hundred  men 
into  eternity  in  an  instant,  and  every  second  in  danger 
of  being  himself  the  victim  of  a  misstep,  a  fall,  or  a 
sudden  jar.  During  his  convalescence,  Coon  had  told 
her  a  great  deal  about  this  life  he  had  led,  and,  as  she 
thought  now  of  how  heavy  the  hand  of  fate  had  rested 
upon  him,  the  tears  sprang  from  her  eyes  and 
coursed  down  her  cheeks. 

But  it  was  all  to  be  changed  now.  They  were  going 
home  together,  where  Coon  would  be  happy;  where 
he  would  have  a  pleasant  room,  comfortable  clothing, 
regular  meals,  and  would  go  into  business  with  his 
father.  Coon  loved  horses;  when  they  were  living 


306  Cjje 

on  tlie  farm,  he  had  a  way  of  getting  along  with  the 
animals,  and  he  never  had  to  whip  them,  either.  He 
had  been  so  cheerful  since  his  father  had  asked  him  to 
go  home.  He  talked  about  it  so  much  with  them  all, 
that  she  was  sure  he  would  live  a  contended,  indus 
trious,  honorable  life  from  this  time  on. 

And  Coon  meant  what  he  said,  too.  He  was  such 
a  determined  young  fellow.  He  had  never  been  mean 
and  really  bad — only  wild,  heedless,  selfish,  as  she 
herself  had  been.  Really,  there  was  more  for  her 
father  and  mother  to  forgive  in  her  than  there  was 
in  Coon.  She  was  two  years  older  than  her  brother. 
She  ought  to  have  influenced  him  to  better  things  by 
her  own  example.  He  was  such  an  open-natured  boy, 
and  so  easily  led  that 

Betsey  heard  in  the  distance  the  faint  rattle  of 
wagon  wheels  and  the  tread  of  horses. 


Cbe  Spotter,  SOT 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

MOONSHINES  AND  SPOTTEE. 

IT  was  with  considerable  difficulty  that  Coon  Tubbs 
made  his  way  up  the  steep,  rough  path  to  the  city  of 
rocks.  He  was  still  weak  from  his  long  confinement, 
and  the  walk  from  the  wells  to  the  place  where  his 
sister  awaited  him  was  the  longest  he  had  taken  since 
he  had  left  his  bed.  But  Coon  had  a  purpose,  and  he 
would  permit  no  thought  of  fatigue  to  drive  it  from 
his  mind.  He  had  written  his  friends  that  he  would 
mark  the  way  to  his  store  of  glycerine  so  they  could 
find  it,  and  he  was  determined  to  do  it.  As  long  as 
he  remained  in  Betsey's  view,  he  went  forward  with 
firm  step  and  jaunty  carriage,  though  the  effort  cost 
his  utmost  self-control,  but  when  she  was  no  longer 
in  view  he  proceeded  with  less  speed. 

Coon  entered  the  curious  city  of  enormous  sand 
stone  blocks  by  the  main  avenue.  He  was  revived 
somewhat  by  the  cooler  air,  damp  from  the  melting 
ice  which  remained  in  the  pathways  and  shel 
tered  corners.  Though  June  was  well  advanced,  these 
narrow,  shaded  streets  admitted  little  of  the  sun,  and 


^potter* 

midsummer  often  saw  them  sheltering  the  remem 
brances  of  winter. 

Coon  paused  to  take  a  drink  from  the  spring  at 
the  picnic  place,  and  then  went  forward  through  a 
long  tunnel  formed  by  two  of  the  huge  blocks  which 
were  separated  at  the  base  but  still  clung  together  at 
the  top.  He  came  into  an  intricate  network  of  streets 
that  were  seldom  traversed  by  any  save  those  who 
made  a  study  of  the  place.  Here  he  looked  for  some 
marks  on  a  small  birch  tree,  and  when  they  were 
found,  Coon  chose  the  street  he  would  follow,  and 
tied  to  a  root  one  of  the  colored  strips  of  cloth  he 
carried  in  his  hand.  These  he  fixed  to  branches  or 
twigs  at  every  turn,  and  to  one  standing  upon  a  corner 
in  the  route  he  followed,  two  of  the  signals  were  in 
view.  After  a  number  of  angles  were  passed,  the 
street  came  to  an  abrupt  stop,  and  through  aid  of  the 
festooned  roots  wandering  over  the  perpendicular 
wall,  the  boy  climbed  slowly  up  the  face  of  the  block. 
Fixing  a  signal  at  the  edge,  he  went  forward  and 
paused  at  an  opening  in  the  trees  to  look  off  over  the 
valley  before  him.  The  roadway  wound  along  the 
hillside  like  a  string  of  tow,  and  there  in  the  shade 
of  the  maple  was  his  sister.  He  waved  his  hat  to  her 
and  called  a  clear,  ringing  "Halloa!"  Soon  he  saw 
the  fluttering  of  her  handkerchief  and  knew  that  she 
was  greeting  him  with  love. 

"Poor  little  Bet,"  he  said,  as  the  tears  came  to  his 
eyes.  "I  hope  I  may  be  able  to  help  you  in  some 


Cfte  Spotter*  309 


way,  Bet;  but  I  don't  know  how.  The  way  may 
come  to  me  when  I  least  expect  it,  and  then  I'll  re 
member  my  promise,  Bet."  And  he  kissed  his  hands 
many  times  and  wafted  the  kisses  toward  her. 

Turning,  Coon  took  his  course  over  the  housetops 
of  the  silent  city.  He  leaped  narrow  alleys,  but  when 
the  streets  were  too  wide  for  this  he  knew  where  to 
find  the  trunks  of  fallen  trees  upon  which  he  might 
safely  pass  over  those  depths  which  knew  only  the 
chattering  of  squirrels  and  chipmunks,  the  song  of 
the  birds,  the  pattering  rain,  the  fall  of  a  giant  of 
the  forest,  the  roar  of  a  winter  storm,  or  the  ghostly 
rustle  of  dead  leaves.  But  Coon  did  not  stop  to  think 
of  this  —  only  to  fix  markers  of  cloth  that  the  path 
might  not  be  mistaken. 

Once  while  tying  one  of  the  markers  he  heard  a 
sound,  as  of  the  contact  of  a  boot  with  rock.  He 
paused  and  listened  a  long  time  in  some  alarm,  but, 
hearing  nothing  further,  he  continued  on  his  way. 

Coon  came  at  last  to  one  side  of  an  oblong  court, 
possibly  five  yards  wide  and  twice  that  distance  in 
length.  From  where  he  stood  there  appeared  to  be 
only  perpendicular  walls  inclosing  the  court,  the 
floor  of  which  was  twenty  feet  below  ;  but  when  Coon 
tied  his  last  marker  to  a  small  twig  near  the  ground 
and  then  swung  himself  down  the  root  ladder  to  the 
bottom,  he  stepped  back  under  a  shelving  part  of 
the  rock  which  was  not  easily  detected  from  the  top, 
and  disappeared  from  view.  Here  was  a  gallery, 


310  Cl)e  Spotter. 

formed  by  the  cutting  away  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
rock  to  a  depth  of  about  eight  feet.  It  was  not  unlike 
those  old-fashioned  buildings  where  the  second  story 
projects  some  distance  into  the  street,  leaving  a  cov 
ered  porch  or  walk  the  whole  length  of  the  house. 
Against  the  rock  at  the  back  of  the  gallery  was  a  cov 
ering  of  hemlock  boughs,  now  broken  and  dead.  Coon 
threw  off  his  coat  and  then  carefully  lifted  and 
cleaned  away  the  branches,  exposing  several  rows  of 
nitro-glycerine  cans,  as  dry  and  bright  as  when  they 
had  been  stored  in  their  present  location  months  be 
fore. 

"Two,  four,  six,  eight,"  he  counted  up  one  of  the 
rows  to  the  end,  and  then  noted  the  number  of  rows. 
"Four  hundred  and  eighty-six  quarts.  That's  right, 
as  I  remember  it.  And  there's  the  rope  and  swing  to 
take  them  up  as  we  let  them  down.  Everything  is 
all  right,  and  it  is  as  pretty  a  cache  as  any  moon 
shiner  ever  made.  It  took  a  lot  of  work  and  cost  some 
money ;  but  I  don't  care.  Preston  and  Ensworth  may 
have  it  and  welcome,  for  they  are  a  couple  of  good 
fellows  and  have  both  helped  me  out  of  trouble  before 
now.  It  was  Ensworth  who  knocked  that  Pithole 
gambler's  arm  up  just  in  time  to  save  me  from  get 
ting  a  bullet  when  I  showed  up  his  cheating; 
and " 

Coon's  voice  stopped,  as  did  the  hand  which  was 
dusting  the  dead  hemlock  needles  from  the  tops  of 
the  cans  nearest  him.  He  stood  motionless.  His 


C6e  Spotter,  311 


quick  ears,  trained  to  be  ever  alert,  caught  sounds 
that  told  him  as  plainly  as  though  he  could  see,  that 
some  one  was  picking  his  way  cautiously  down  the 
face  of  the  rock  by  the  root  staircase. 

"God!"  he  whispered.  "I  thought  I  heard  some 
one  following  me.  I'll  bet  it's  a  spotter,  and  I'm 
cornered  without  a  gun."  He  glanced  at  the  glycerine 
cans  and  smiled.  Then  drew  himself  to  full  height 
and  stood  resolute.  "Now,  Coon  Tubbs,  don't 
weaken  !"  he  said. 

Peering  out  under  the  edge  of  the  rock  roof,  Coon 
saw  the  feet  of  a  man  —  one  of  them  resting  upon  a 
root,  and  the  other  feeling  carefully  down  the  rock 
in  search  of  the  next  place  that  would  bear  the  weight 
of  the  body  above.  The  loop  was  found,  and  then 
the  other  foot  moved,  passed  its  fellow,  and  in  turn 
reached  a  place  of  lodgement.  The  body  came  into 
view,  and  the  climber,  looking  down  and  seeing  the 
distance  was  not  now  great,  leaped  lightly  to  the  leaf 
mould,  which  scarcely  gave  sound  to  the  jump. 

The  man  glanced  about  him,  and  seeing  the  cham 
ber  and  Coon  standing  within  it,  stepped  forward  a 
pace  or  two,  and  then  halted.  For  a  full  minute  they 
looked  each  other  straight  in  the  eyes. 

"I've  caught  you  at  last,  Tubbs,  and  with  the  goods 
on  the  person." 

"Cornered  me,  you  mean,  Wheeler  —  not  caught." 

Wheeler   ran   his   eyes   swiftly   about   the   court. 


312  c&e  Spotter, 

"Caught,  safe  enough.  You  don't  get  out  of  here 
alive  unless  you  are  roped  to  me." 

"Then  neither  of  us  gets  out  of  here  alive,"  said 
Coon  with  perfect  calmness. 

"Oh,  come,  now,  that's  too  good,"  Wheeler  laughed. 
"You  can't  bluff  me  with  a  threat  like  that. 
You  ain't  fool  enough  to  throw  away  your  life  for 
two  or  three  years  in  the  penitentiary,  where  you  will 
have  plenty  of  company  among  others  like  you." 

Watching  Wheeler  narrowly,  Coon  stooped  and 
lifted  in  his  hand  a  rough,  jagged  piece  of  the  rock 
which  he  had  worked  up  to  the  surface  of  the  leaf- 
mould  with  his  feet. 

"You  come  in  and  take  me  out,  if  you  think  I  am 
bluffing,"  was  his  reply. 

Wheeler  carried  a  short  magazine  rifle,  and  he  com 
menced  to  swing  it  carelessly  back  and  forth  with  the 
probable  intention  of  bringing  it  to  his  shoulder  and 
covering  his  man.  He  did  not  hurry  in  his  move 
ments,  for  he  realized  that  the  situation  was  critical. 

"Don't  you  try  that,"  said  Coon,  shifting  the  stone 
to  the  hand  of  his  uninjured  arm,  raising  it  above  his 
shoulder  and  poising  it  upon  his  palm  over  the  glist 
ening  cans  at  his  feet.  "Drop  that  gun  on  the  ground, 
or  this  charge  here  will  go  off  quicker  than  you  can 
pull  a  trigger !" 

What  was  it  that  Eli  Wheeler  saw  in  the  eyes  and 
face  of  this  young  man  that  made  him  obey,  and  as 
he  did  so  turn  faint  and  almost  powerless  ?  What 


C&e  ^potter,  sis 

great  fear  fell  upon  him,  and  beat  down  his  courage 
and  sent  despair  knocking  at  his  heart  as  it  had 
never  knocked  there  before  ?  When  had  he  seen 
that  look  ?  Had  it  not  blazed  from  the  eyes  of  Duncan 
Cameron  in  the  back  room  of  La  Vintage,  when,  over 
come  with  passion  and  moved  by  taunts  he  had  leaped 
upon  Wheeler  in  the  effort  to  catch  the  swindler's 
throat  and  by  force  compel  a  return  of  some  portion 
of  that  of  which  he  had  been  robbed  ?  Or,  was  there 
not  something  of  it  in  his  wife's  eyes,  back  there  in 
Paris,  when  he  sneer ingly  bade  her  make  her  living 
in  the  streets  as  a  common  woman  ? 

"You  are  as  suspicious  as  ever,  Coon,"  he  faltered, 
for  the  moment  unnerved.  "See,  I  will  disarm  my 
self  as  you  request,  and  we'll  talk  it  over  on  an  equal 
footing.  Put  down  that  stone;  it  looks  mighty  dan 
gerous  so  nearly  over  those  glycerine  cans.  We  can 
come  to  terms." 

"You  can't  make  any  terms  with  me,  Wheeler.  I 
wouldn't  believe  any  promise  you  might  make,  for 
you  wouldn't  keep  one  made  on  a  deathbed.  I've 
been  a  moonshiner  too  long  to  believe  a  damned  spot 
ter.  You  might  come  it  over  poor  old  dad,  or  wheedle 
Cameron  and  hundreds  of  others,  but  not  Coon 
Tubbs." 

"But  I  am  not  trying  to  wheedle  you,  Coon.  I  am 
willing  to  let  you  escape  if  you  will  give  me  your 
word  that  you  will  stop  moonshining  and  clear  out  of 
the  country." 


314  C&e  ^potter, 

"You  already  know  that  I've  stopped  moonshin- 
ing.  Ever  since  Cameron  came  here  as  a  superin 
tendent,  you've  had  a  spy  among  his  men,  and  he's 
told  you  everything  that's  been  going  on.  You  know 
that  I  was  intending  to  leave  the  State  to-morrow, 
and  you  know  that  I  wouldn't  be  well  enough  from 
the  effects  of  your  bullet  to  do  moonshining  in  a  year, 
should  I  want  to.  I  thought  you  might  go  away 
when  you  heard  that,  and  so  I  came  up  here  to- 
day- 

"To  mark  the  way  of  your  cache  for  others  ?" 

"Well,  yes,  partly  that  and  partly  to  see  if  you 
would  follow  me.  It  appears  that  you  are  not  satis 
fied  with  what  you  have  done,  but  want  to  bring  more 
disgrace  on  poor  old  dad  and  marm  by  sending  their 
son  to  prison;  and  so  you  followed  to  arrest  me." 

"You  are  wrong,  Coon.  We  could  have  placed 
you  under  arrest  at  any  time  since  you  have  been 
confined  to  the  house  with  your  wound,  if  I  had 
wanted  it  that  way.  But  I  have  had  compassion  on 
you.  I  have  thought  that  I  may  have  wronged  your 
father — and  others.  I  was  led  on  to  it  and  did  not 
see  the  harm  then  as  I  since  have,  and  so  I  made  some 
amends  by  not  sending  the  deputies  in  and  taking 
you  out  to  prison,  wound  or  no  wound.  I  will  own 
that  I  have  been  watching  you,  but  only  to  secure  this 
opportunity.  I  followed  you  to-day  so  that  I  might 
meet  you  alone  and  talk  it  over  with  you ;  possibly  to 
show  you  the  error  of  your  course." 


Cfje  ^pottet*  315 


"You  lie,  Wheeler,  as  black  as  you  have  ever  lied  ! 
You  wanted  to  catch  me  Svith  the  goods  on  the  per 
son,'  or  you  never  could  have  convicted  me,  even  in 
Lanp  here's  courts." 

Moving  from  one  foot  to  the  other  as  they  talked, 
inch-by-inch,  Wheeler  worked  himself  forward  until 
he  was  almost  within  arm's  length  of  Coon.  ISTow 
his  shifty  eyes  wore  still,  but  they  blazed  with  an 
unnatural  light  that  caught  the  gaze  of  the  weakened, 
trembling  boy  and  held  him  immovable  and  power 
less.  From  Coon's  vision  the  outlines  of  Wheeler's 
face  faded,  and  only  the  two  blazing  points  remained 

—  fascinating,  irresistible  in  their  compelling  force; 
now  moving  slowly  from  side  to  side,  but  ever  coming 
nearer  and  nearer. 

Time  was  banished  from  the  universe.  Seconds 
lengthened  into  years. 

There  was  something  long  ago  that  Coon  wanted  to 
do  —  what  was  it  ?  Ages  before,  he  had  been  talking 
with  somebody  and  the  echo  of  the  words  was  still 
ringing  in  his  ears  —  but  who  was  it,  and  where  was 
he  now?  Someone  was  in  great  peril  —  from  what 
source  ? 

Why  could  he  not  remember,  or  take  hold  upon 
something  tangible  ? 

Ah  —  yes,  yes,  there  was  once  a  man  standing  there 

—  a  man  whom  Coon  had  been  dodging  for  months 
and  who  had  made  an  attempt  to  kill  him  —  a  man 


316  C6e  Spotter. 

to  be  hated,  shunned,  feared;  but  the  man  had  dis 
appeared,  and  there  was  now  nothing  in  all  the  world 
but  these  numbing  lights,  which  almost  froze  the 
blood  in  his  veins. 

Something  touches  Coon's  upraised  arm — poised 
above  his  head,  he  knows  not  for  what  purpose.  He 
feels  the  icy  clasp  of  an  object  and  rejoices  that  the 
sleeve  of  his  shirt  does  not  let  it  come  in  contact 
with  his  flesh.  Slowly  the  cold  thing,  from  which 
he  would  shrink  if  he  could,  moves  toward  his  wrist. 

But  now  Coon  remembers!  Ages  ago  there  was 
something  in  his  hand  that  would  keep  this  man, 
whom  he  feared,  from  making  him  a  prisoner ;  some 
thing  that  would  fly  to  his  sister  Betsey  and  set  her 
free  to  roam  hand-in-hand  with  her  lover;  some 
thing  that  would  leap,  and  shout  and  shake  the  earth, 
and  roar;  but  something  that  Coon  did  not  fear. 

The  blazing  points  can  no  longer  drive  that  from 
Coon's  memory,  or  burn  out  the  knowledge  that  this 
cold  thing  that  is  creeping  up  his  wrist  is  trying  to 
seize  that  which  will  prevent  the  shame  of  his  arrest 
and  imprisonment,  or  give  to  little  Bet  her  freedom. 

Why  not  let  it  go?  He  will — he  will — but  the 
lights  sparkle  with  brilliant  colors  in  his  eyes  and  a 
voice  shouts  in  his  ear  to  hold!  to  stop!  for  God's 
sake  to  stop ! 

IsTo,  he  will  not  stop — he  will  not  hold !  There — 
unloose  the  fingers,  for  the  cold  thing  is  now  creep- 


Spotter,  317 

ing  over  the  back  of  his  hand.  A  tremendous  effort 
— it  is  gone !  Betsey's  freedom ! 

An  eternity  passes. 

Coon's  feeble  shout  is  swallowed  in  a  roar  that  fills 
his  ears,  and  a  blinding  flash  blots  out  for  all  time 
those  cursed  points  of  light. 


318  Cfje 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  STORY  IN   THE  BOOKS. 

BETSEY  leaned  forward,  watching  the  driveway 
with  expectancy  and  vainly  endeavoring  to  still  the 
fluttering  at  her  heart,  which  came,  she  knew  not  why. 
The  horses  appeared  to  her  sight  over  a  little  rise  in 
the  winding  road. 

In  that  instant  the  earth  rocked  as  though  shaken 
to  the  center  by  a  fearful  convulsion,  and  a  roar  like 
the  burst  of  mighty  thunders  filled  the  air.  The 
woman  was  thrown  headlong  upon  the  sward,  and  the- 
trembling  ground  tossed  her  to  and  fro  as  by  the 
pitching  of  a  boat.  A  great  hurricane  of  wind  rushed 
down  the  mountain  side,  bending  before  it  the  giant 
trees  and  hurling  dead  branches  from  lofty  heights. 
The  centuries  rolled  backward  in  the  city  of  rocks, 
and  the  throes  which  accompanied  its  birth  shook 
again  the  massive  blocks  to  their  foundations,  snap 
ping  open  new  fissures  and  streets  where  solid  granite 
blocked  the  way,  or  thrusting  against  each  other  the 
surfaces  which  had  once  been  a  concrete  mass  but 
which  had  long  been  separated. 


C&e  Spotter*  319 

The  wagon  bringing  Mr.  Tubbs  and  Dr.  Ross  to 
headquarters  was  on  the  brow  of  the  up-grade  when 
the  first  shock  came  upon  them.  For  one  brief  instant 
the  road  seemed  to  fall  away,  and  then  to  rebound 
like  the  recoil  of  a  bow,  lifting  them  in  the  air  and 
throwing  the  horses  upon  their  sides.  Edgert,  half- 
leaping,  half -thrown  from  his  seat,  but  without  losing 
presence  of  mind,  staggered  to  the  heads  of  the  ani 
mals  and  had  just  secured  one  of  them  when  Dr. 
Ross  ran  forward  and  gave  him  the  necessary  aid.  A 
shower  of  stones  and  fragments  of  limbs  fell  upon 
them,  but  they  held  the  frightened  beasts  upon  the 
ground  until  the  immediate  effects  of  the  explosion 
disappeared  and  the  air  was  again  calm. 

"What  was  it  ?"  asked  Ross  as  Mr.  Tubbs  came  for 
ward  and  commenced  unhitching  the  harness  so  the 
horses  might  rise  in  safety. 

"Glycerine  explosion,"  answered  Edgert,  "and  the 
worst  one  I  ever  heard  or  felt.  I  am  afraid  that  more 
than  one  poor  devil  has  paid  the  penalty  for  some 
one's  carelessness." 

"But  I  don't  understand  it,"  said  the  doctor  as  he 
permitted  the  horse  he  had  been  holding  down  to  rise, 
and  then  stroked  it  reassuringly.  "I  don't  see  any 
place  where  there  has  been  an  explosion,  and  still  it 
appeared  to  be  directly  underneath  us." 

"No,"  said  Mr.  Tubbs,  "if  that  charge  of  glycerine 
had  been  under  us,  we  wouldn't  be  talkin'  it  over 
now.  It  was  up  here  in  the  rocks.  See  that  little 


320  c&e  Spotter. 

cloud  of  white  smoke  ?  Well,  that  ain't  far  from  the 
place." 

"There's  no  rigs  up  there,"  remarked  Edgert,  "and 
that  was  fifty  times  as  much  nitro  as  ever  was  put 
into  a  well.  I'll  bet  a  dollar  it  was  a  moonshiner's 
storehouse." 

"Father!" 

They  heard  a  cry,  and  turning,  saw  a  woman  run 
ning  toward  them. 

"Betsey — my  God,  what  has  happened !"  and  Mr. 
Tubbs  darted  up  the  road  with  a  speed  far  beyond 
one  of  his  years,  and  caught  his  daughter  in  his  arms. 

"Speak,  little  gal,  what — why,  how  is  it  that  you 
was  down  here?  Oh,  to  meet  your  dad — and  you 
run  right  into  a  big  explosion !  There,  there !"  and 
he  patted  her  tumbled  head,  pillowed  now  upon  his 
shoulder. 

"Oh,  dad,  it's  Coon — it's  poor,  poor  Coon!"  she 
sobbed. 

An  icy  hand  gripped  her  father's  heart,  and  his 
face  took  on  the  deep-set  lines  of  a  new  sorrow;  a 
horror,  brought  suddenly  to  his  door. 

"Coon !  Why,  Betsey,  how  did  poor  wounded  Coon 
come  to  be  up  there  in  the  rocks  ?" 

"He  had  glycerine  stored  there,  and  he  came  to 
mark  the  place  that  some  of  his  former  companions 
to  whom  he  had  written  might  find  it  Oh,  dad,  dear 
old  dad!  he  hadn't  been  gone  from  me  but  a  little 


€&e  Spotter*  321 

time  when  the  explosion  came.  Let  us  go  to  him,  all 
of  us,  he  may  only  be  injured  and  we  can  help  him." 

She  started  as  though  she  would  go  forward  up  the 
mountain,  but  her  father  held  her  close  to  his  side 
and  slowly  shook  his  head. 

"There's  no  hope  up  there,  little  gal.  No  man 
could  have  been  near  that  charge  and  live  a  second. 
Our  boy  is  dead,  and  there  won't  be  left  even  a  shred 
of  his  poor  body." 

Father  and  daughter  sank  upon  the  bank  beside 
the  road,  and  with  mingled  tears  sought  in  caresses 
to  comfort  each  other,  speaking  few  words — mute 
from  their  grief. 

Cameron  and  several  of  the  men  came  running 
from  the  wells  where  the  effect  of  the  explosion  had 
been  so  great  that  the  sections  of  two  derricks  had 
been  thrown  down,  and  windows  broken  in  all  of  the 
houses.  They  persuaded  Mr.  Tubbs  and  Betsey  to 
enter  the  wagon  and  go  forward  with  one  of  the 
men  as  driver,  for  Coon's  mother  was  yet  to  be  told 
the  sad  fate  of  her  son. 

A  searching  party  was  formed  and  finally  pene 
trated  to  the  scene  of  the  explosion.  It  was  a  difficult 
task,  for  in  many  places  great  blocks  of  rock  were 
'dislodged  or  toppled  over,  and  sometimes  the  bits  of 
cloth  left  by  Coon  to  guide  his  fellows,  and  which 
Betsey  explained  to  them,  were  concealed  under  the 
debris.  As  they  drew  near  the  place,  the  havoc 
wrought  by  the  tremendous  force  pent  up  in  nearly 


322 

five  hundred  quarts  of  nitro-glycerine  was  apparent 
on  every  side.  The  trunks  of  trees  were  split  in 
twain,  broken  into  splinters  or  stripped  of  branches 
and  verdure;  squirrels,  struck  dead  as  they  scamp 
ered  merrily  over  the  ground,  lay  there  before  them; 
half -raised  upon  his  haunches,  petrified  by  the  fear 
ful  concussion,  they  saw  a  hedge  hog;  birds,  stopped 
in  flight  or  song  and  falling  with  helpless,  out 
stretched  wings,  were  mute  witnesses  of  the  awful 
stroke  of  death. 

They  came  upon  the  place  at  last,  and  saw  in  the 
court  which  Coon  had  used  as  a  hiding-place  for  the 
explosive,  a  tumble  of  broken  rock  which  they  could 
not  hope  to  remove  without  the  labor  of  several  days, 
and  the  day  came  to  a  close  before  progress  in  the 
search  could  be  made. 

In  time  they  found  Coon's  coat  and  portions  of  the 
battered  tins  in  which  the  nitro-glycerine  had  been 
stored.  The  broken  stock  and  twisted  barrel  of  a  re 
peating  rifle  caused  much  speculation,  as  they  knew 
the  boy  had  not  carried  one.  Beyond  this,  they  came 
upon  some  semblance  of  a  body. 

Pieces  of  the  clothing  told  them  it  was  not  the 
body  of  Coon  Tubbs.  One  of  these  fragments  of  cloth 
protected  from  destruction  a  bundle  of  papers,  nearly 
all  of  which  were  written  by  Eli  Wheeler's  hand,  or 
by  the  hand  of  Lanphere.  They  were  statements  and 
memoranda  of  transactions  in  which  Duncan  Cam 
eron  and  many  others  were  deeply  concerned.  When 


Cfte  ^potter.  323 

these  and  further  evidences  were  discovered,  those 
who  searched  knew  that  they  looked  upon,  the  body  of 
the  Spotter. 

And  this  was  all  that  appeared  when  the  broken 
rocks  were  pushed  aside  and  the  place  of  the  tragedy 
was  brought  to  view.  Yet  from  these  meagre  wit 
nesses,  those  who  knew  the  two  lives  which  were  so 
suddenly  snuffed  out  upon  that  spot,  could  read  the 
mystery  there  concealed  from  others. 


324  c&e  Spotter, 


CHAPTEK  XXXVI. 

LANPHERE  WRITES  A  NOTE. 

A  MESSENGER  rode  over  from  the  junction  and 
handed  to  Cameron  a  letter,  which  proved  to  be  an 
invitation  from  President  Lanphere,  asking  Cameron 
to  come  to  his  office  on  the  following  afternoon.  The 
note  suggested  that  Harry  Edgert  might  accompany 
Cameron  on  his  visit,  and  closed  with  the  significant 
statement  that  Mr,  Lanphere  had  recently  come  into 
the  possession  of  facts  which  led  him  to  believe  that 
the  litigation  between  them  might  be  discontinued  by 
stipulation. 

"What  has  induced  such  a  suggestion  on  the  part 
of  Lanphere  ?"  asked  Cameron  of  Harry,  when  they 
met  in  Oleford  the  next  day  and  were  discussing  the 
note  which  had  been  sent  by  the  president  of  the 
Cygnet. 

"I  surmise  that  he  has  gained  some  knowledge 
of  the  contents  of  the  papers  that  were  found  on 
Wheeler's  body,  and  has  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
a  settlement  will  be  the  wisest  plan  to  pursue." 

"How  should  he  know  of  their  contents?     The 


C6e  Spotter,  325 

papers  were  given  to  Mrs.  Wheeler  and  are  still  in 
her  possession." 

"You  forget,  Mr.  Cameron,  that  the  coroner  made 
an  examination  of  the  documents  and  took  a  full  list 
of  them.  I  was  present  and  insisted  that  every  scrap 
of  the  writings  found  in  Wheeler's  pockets  should 
be  left  in  the  possession  of  the  widow.  Nothing  could 
be  done,  however,  to  prevent  the  coroner  from  making 
such  use  of  the  knowledge  he  gained  on  the  examina 
tion  as  would  be  profitable  to  him,  and  I  suppose  he 
turned  that  knowledge  to  account  as  quickly  as  he 
could  get  the  news  to  Lanphere." 

"You  think  he  sold  the  information  ?" 

"Well,  that  is  a  question.  The  influence  of  the 
Cygnet  is  far-reaching  and  each  official  in  many 
counties  owes  his  position  to  this  company,  which 
has  come  into  control  of  so  many  things.  The  cor 
oner,  no  doubt,  is  an  ambitious  man,  and  at  any  rate 
he  knows  that  he  might  as  well  move  out  of  the  State 
as  to  conceal  from  Lanphere  the  knowledge  that 
Wheeler  left  statements  of  his  own,  and  a  number  of 
personal  letters  from  Lanphere,  which  completely 
prove  our  contention  that  a  conspiracy  existed  be 
tween  these  two  men  to  swindle  you  and  many  others. 
I  looked  for  some  such  move  as  this,  but  did  not  ex 
pect  that  Lanphere  would  appear  in  it  himself — I 
supposed  he  would  leave  that  to  his  lawyers." 

"He  may  think  it  of  so  delicate  a  nature  that  he 
prefers  to  deal  with  it  in  person." 


326  Cfte  Spotter. 

"Yes,  that  is  the  explanation,  without  doubt.  I 
think  it  true  that  all  of  the  important  movements  to 
bring  under  the  control  of  the  Cygnet  the  political 
machinery  of  at  least  two  States  and  the  operation 
of  several  great  railroads,  to  say  nothing  of  the  entire 
petroleum  industry,  have  been  personally  directed 
and  nearly  always  carried  out  by  Lanphere.  Sev 
eral  of  the  men  in  whom  he  first  placed  confidence 
and  upon  whom  he  depended,  either  through  timidity 
or  lack  of  power  to  grasp  the  moves  planned  for  them, 
failed  in  their  work,  and  Lanphere  lost  faith  in  every 
man  whom  he  could  not  hold  to  his  service  by  fear." 

"Did  he  have  such  a  whip  with  which  to  threaten 
Wheeler?" 

"Possibly;  though  I  have  not  discovered  what  it 
was.  The  fact  that  Wheeler  prepared  those  state 
ments,  and  kept  with  them  letters  to  prove  their 
genuineness,  is  evidence  that  he  felt  his  safety  lay  in 
being  ready  to  meet  Lanphere  with  sure  weapons 
should  the  necessity  arise.  But,  Mr.  Cameron,  have 
you  considered  what  course  you  will  follow  when  Lan 
phere  proposes  the  compromise  which  he  here  indi 
cates  ?" 

"Yes,  Harry,  I  have  given  it  constant  thought 
since  receiving  his  note  yesterday,  and  have  reached 
a  decision.  In  this  I  am  guided  in  great  measure 
by  the  wishes  of  Mrs.  Cameron  and  Mr.  Tubbs.  I 
spent  last  night  in  Bradan*  and  we  talked  it  over 


327 

together.  I  will  enter  into  a  stipulation  to  discon 
tinue  the  suits." 

Edgert  shook  his  head  in  the  disappointment  which 
he  could  not  conceal. 

"I  know,  Harry,  that  it  is  not  what  you  would 
advise,  and  I  have  thought  of  your  share  in  it  as 
well  as  of  my  own.  You  will  say  that  we  now  have 
everything  in  our  hands,  and  can  prove  our  contention 
so  clearly  that  even  courts  which  are  controlled  cannot 
refuse  us  justice;  and  you  will  also  tell  me  to  con 
sider  the  moral  effect  of  the  victory.  You  are  too 
unselfish,  Harry,  to  ask  that  your  part  in  such  a  vic 
tory  shall  have  any  weight  in  the  negotiations,  and 
are  looking  only  toward  what  I  have  been  fighting  to 
accomplish  these  several  years.  I  will  not  deny  that 
it  is  hard  to  give  over  a  struggle  for  principle,  but  I 
am  going  to  shut  my  eyes  to  it  and  surrender  when  I 
may  do  so  with  honor.  The  controlling  influence  in 
such  a  course,  as  has  been  pointed  out  to  me  by  my 
wife,  is  Mrs.  Wheeler." 

"Mrs.  Wheeler?" 

"Yes.  If  the  litigation  is  to  be  continued,  sfie  will 
of  necessity  be  dragged  into  if — the  nature  of  the 
papers  which  came  into  her  possession  on  the  death 
of  her  husband,  makes  this  certain,  and  the  story  of 
her  life  will  be  brought  out  in  the  courts  and  paraded 
in  the  public  prints  in  the  most  unpleasant  form 
which  the  lawyers  for  the  Cygnet  can  invent.  Not 
that  there  is  anything  to  her  discredit — only  the  mis- 


328  Cfje 

takes  of  an  ignorant  girl;  but  she  has  developed  into 
a  woman  of  fine  sensibilities  and  high  character. 
Rather  than  see  her  wounded  by  a  new  threshing  of 
the  whole  affair,  I  am  ready  to  forego  any  satisfaction 
I  might  find  in  a  successful  prosecution." 

"But  surely,  Mr.  Cameron,  you  do  not  intend  to 
permit  this  man  to  keep  thousands  which  he  entered 
into  a  conspiracy  with  Wheeler  to  take  from  you 
under  the  shadow  of  a  business  transaction.  Mrs. 
Wheeler  would  never  consent  to  any  such  course  as 
that.  She  will  look  upon  it  as  her  duty  to  see  that 
the  wrong  against  you  be  righted,  if  any  sac 
rifice  she  can  make  will  help  to  do  it.  You  may 
not  expect  her  to  be  satisfied  by  an  arrangement  that 
provides  for  anything  less." 

"In  this  you  echo  the  belief  of  her  father,  who  in 
his  quaint  way  declared  that  'Betsey's  bin  hurt  by 
what  befel  her,  but  the  pain  of  her  hurt  ain't  so 
great  that  she  forgits  that  you  have  suffered.  I  know 
her,  Cameron;  she'll  stand  it  all  over  again,  and 
more,  rather  than  eee  you  lose  your  rights.' ' 

Harry  paced  the  floor  a  moment  in  thought,  then 
coming  to  Cameron's  side,  said:  "If  Lanphere  is 
anxious  to  compromise,  he  will  doubtless  make  a 
proposition.  It  is  for  you  to  decide  what  terms  you 
will  accept." 

"I  want  nothing  from  him,  Harry,  except  the  pay 
for  Cameron  farm  at  its  value  when  the  deal  with 
Wheeler  was  made,  a  return  of  the  money  furnished 


C&e  Spotter,  329 

by  me  at  that  time  and  pay  at  the  customary  royalty 
for  oil  since  produced  on  the  farm." 

"You  may  have  double  that  figure,  Mr.  Cameron." 

"I  will  not  accept  it  More  than  is  rightfully  mine 
would  do  me  no  good." 

Edgert  looked  at  him  in  admiration.  "I  under 
stand  you,  Mr.  Cameron,  but  an  honest  man  who  runs 
up  against  Henry  Lanphere  will  get  left.  You  had 
best  let  me  talk  business  with  him." 

"Why  you  are  honest,  Harry !"  laughed  Cameron. 

"I  hope  so,  in  some  things.  But  my  ideas  of 
honesty  would  not  arouse  in  me  any  scruples  about 
making  Lanphere  pay  for  his  rascality.  As  your 
attorney,  Mr.  Cameron,  I  shall  insist  upon  one-sixth, 
instead  of  one-eighth  royalty  on  the  oil  produced,  and 
shall  demand  an  inspection  of  the  pipe  line  records 
to  determine  the  quantity.  He  must  pay  you  all  let*., 
costs  and  disbursements  up  to  date,  including  lawyer's 
charges,  and  interest  on  the  principal  from  the  date 
Wheeler  and  Judge  Purser  carried  out  the  scheme  at 
your  house.  I  shall  insist  also  upon  the  payment  to 
you  of  a  liberal  salary  for  the  two  years  and  more 
you  spent  in  tracking  Wheeler  and  in  returning  home 
again " 

"Harry,  you  must  not  mention  that.  It  is  a  part 
of  my  life  that  I  am  trying  to  forget,  and  which  I 
hope  to  entirely  lose  when  this  miserable  business  is 
over  and  we  have  gone  away  from  the  scenes  which 


330  C!)e 

are  continually  recalling  it.  Simply  what  is  my  due 
from  Lanphere  as  I  have  indicated,  and  nothing  else." 

The  young  man  glanced  at  his  watch.  "We  must 
be  going,  Mr.  Cameron.  I  think  Lanphere  mentioned 
three  o'clock  as  the  hour  he  would  be  at  liberty." 

"Yes,  and  we  have  fifteen  minutes  in  which  to 
walk  to  his  office.  I  do  not  think  it  is  to  be  a  case 
of  bearding  the  lion,  Harry." 

"No,"  and  Harry  smiled,  "more  like  the  spider 
and  the  fly." 


CSe  Spotter*  ssi 


CHAPTEE  XXXVII. 

WHY  OIL  PRICES  CHANGED. 

PKESIDENT  LANPHEEE  was  delighted  to  meet  Dun 
can  Cameron,  of  whom  he  had  heard,  but  with  whom 
he  had  not  previously  had  a  personal  acquaintance — 
and  Mr.  Harry  Edgert,  too,  whose  brilliant  course  at 
the  bar  was  already  becoming  the  subject  of  comment 
on  the  part  of  older  lawyers — really,  President  Lan- 
phere  did  not  recall  that  it  had  been  his  good  fortune 
to  meet  Mr.  Edgert  before ;  or,  was  there  an  occasion  ? 
— yes,  there  was,  he  believed,  a  brief  meeting  one 
peculiarly  trying  day  upon  which  many  things  oc 
curred  to  test  his  patience  and  tire  him  out — an  occa 
sion  when  Mr.  Edgert  had  found  his  own  patience 
exhausted,  too,  by  the  interference  of  some  clerks  who 
did  not  understand  the  nature  of  his  business  and  he 
had  been  compelled  almost  to  force  himself  into  Mr. 
Lanphere's  presence  for  the  purpose  of  serving  some 
papers — and  would  the  gentlemen  pray  be  seated? 

Harry  grinned  as  he  recalled  with  pleasure  the 
occasion  to  which  the  suave,  bowing,  obsequious  man 
before  him  referred.  He  remembered  how  very  dif- 


332  cfje  Spotter* 

ferent  was  Lanphere's  greeting  when  he  had  thrust 
into  the  President's  hands  the  papers  referred 
to;  and  how  the  great  oil  magnate  stormed,  called 
him  a  conscienceless  blackmailer,  and  ordered  him 
from  the  room.  But  the  young  lawyer  said  nothing 
to  disturb  the  present  tranquillity. 

Ahem !  President  Lanphere  had  begged  an  inter 
view  with  Mr.  Cameron  for  the  purpose  of  righting 
what  he  had  within  a  few  days  learned  was  a  wrong ; 
unwittingly,  unknowingly  committed  through  the 
rascality  of  a  man  who  appeared  to  be  so  honest  and 
straightforward  in  his  manner  and  dealing  that  not 
the  slightest  suspicion  arose  against  him — a  man,  let 
us  say  in  passing — who  had  never  been  employed  by 
the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and  Refining  Company, 
but  who  came  forward  with  a  plain  business  proposi 
tion  that  could  not  be  overlooked  by  the  company  in 
whose  hands,  by  force  of  circumstances,  had  been 
placed  the  tremendous  responsibility  of  fostering  and 
building  up  the  great  industry  that  so  suddenly 
sprung  upon  a  people  unprepared  to  deal  with  it. 
From  the  very  nature  of  things  it  was  often  neces 
sary  to  accept  the  pledge,  the  word,  the  apparent  good 
faith  of  people  with  whom  transactions  were  carried 
on,  and  it  was  not  possible  always  to  investigate  all 
sides  of  every  move  that  was  made.  It  thus  hap 
pened  that  in  a  few  instances — remarkably  few  in 
deed,  considering  the  widely  disseminated  business 
and  the  great  interests  involved — the  Company  had 


Cjje  Spotter*  sss 


been  led  into  transactions  which  were  not  counte 
nanced  by  its  president  or  directorate,  and  which 
were  always  amended  when  discovered.  President 
Lanphere  hoped  —  and  the  gentlemen  who  were  asso 
ciated  with  him  in  carrying  out  the  broad  and  up 
lifting  policies  of  this  great  organization  which  had 
providentially  been  formed  for  the  good  of  humanity 
hoped  —  that  Mr.  Cameron  would  understand,  and 
that  Mr.  Edgert  would  understand,  that  many  de 
tails  and  minor  transactions  must  of  necessity  be 
relegated  to  departments,  and  that  it  was  a  physical 
impossibility  to  be  certain  that  every  man  employed 
was  in  all  cases  carrying  out  the  benign  intention  of 
the  Company. 

Ahem!  ~Not  until  recently  —  President  Lanphere 
begged  to  say  very  recently  —  had  the  fact  been 
drawn  to  his  attention  by  a  mutual  friend,  and  one 
who  had  no  interest  at  stake  whatever,  that  the  suit 
brought  by  Mr.  Cameron  was  one  in  which  the  plain 
tiff  really  had  a  cause,  and  was  not  like  the  great 
majority  of  such  actions  which  are  commenced  by 
designing  and  jealous  persons  for  no  less  a  purpose 
than  blackmail.  Upon  receiving  this  hint,  President 
Lanphere  had  sent  immediately  to  the  law  depart 
ment  for  all  the  papers  in  the  case,  and  after  care 
fully  examining  the  records  of  the  original  transac 
tion,  and  with  the  firm  resolve  to  maintain  the  posi 
tion  he  had  taken  in  all  business  affairs  since  his 


334  Cjje 

first  venture,  he  followed  up  his  investigation  by  an 
offer  of  settlement. 

President  Lanphere,  however,  must  beg  the  gentle 
men  to  remember  that  this  was  not  through  any  fear 
or  thought,  still  less  of  remote  possibility,  that  the 
slightest  proof  could  be  brought  that  such  a  prepos 
terous  thing  as  a  conspiracy  to  defraud  Mr.  Duncan 
Cameron,  or  anyone  else  under  Heaven,  ever  existed 
between  himself  and  this  Eli  Wheeler.  Such  a  claim 
was  false,  wicked,  monstrous !  and  that  it  had  been 
set  up  in  the  complaint  and  already  had  to  some  ex 
tent,  he  was  informed,  been  paraded  in  the  courts, 
almost  deterred  him  from  taking  steps  to  bring  about 
an  amicable  understanding.  But,  remembering  that 
public  men  and  those  who  attempt  to  benefit  their 
fellows  are  often  misjudged  and  maligned,  he  had 
stifled  his  indignation,  believing  that  the  generosity 
and  fairness  of  those  who  made  the  charge — misled 
no  doubt  by  appearances  and  by  the  false  rumors 
which  many  were  so  ready  to  set  afloat — would  lead 
them  to  make  such  public  amends  as  good  taste  and 
common  justice  would  suggest. 

With  this  full  explanation  and  statement  before 
him,  he  asked,  was  Mr.  Cameron  ready  to  say  upon 
what  terms  he  would  enter  into  a  stipulation  for  the 
discontinuance  of  the  proceedings? 

Mr.  Cameron  was  ready  and  was  just  upon  the 
point  of  telling  President  Lanphere  that  the  terms 
would  be  those  which  commended  themselves  to  the 


C&e  Spotter*  335 


Cygnet  Company  through  its  honorable  president, 
when  he  was  interrupted  by  Edgert. 

"The  charge  of  conspiracy,  Mr.  Lanphere,  can  be 
proven  beyond  shadow  of  doubt.  You  know  this  to 
be  so,  else  this  meeting  would  never  have  been 
sought,"  he  said  quietly. 

For  the  fraction  of  a  second  President  Lanphere 
was  disconcerted.  He  had  looked  for  an  easy  victory 
over  this  young  man  who  had  been  listening  so  sym 
pathetically  to  his  favorite  theme  —  the  Providential 
Mission  and  Eminent  Justice  of  the  Cygnet. 

"Bravo  !"  And  he  laughed.  "I  always  like  to  see 
a  lawyer  stick  to  his  points.  Do  you  know,  my  dear 
Edgert,  that  this  Company  has  need  of  just  such 
men  as  you.  Naturally  we  have  a  vast  amount  of 
legal  business  and  we  find  it  most  difficult  to  secure 
the  services  of  men  who  may  be  trusted,  even  though 
we  pay  excellent  salaries." 

"I  am  doing  fairly  well  in  general  practice,"  re 
plied  Harry  with  a  bow.  "But  that  is  getting  away 
from  the  question.  Mr.  Cameron  is  tired  of  litiga 
tion,  and  has  authorized  me  to  say  that  he  will  with 
draw  the  suits  brought  against  you  and  your  Com 
pany  upon  these  terms:  Full  payment  for  his  farm 
at  its  value  at  the  time  the  co-partnership  was 
formed  with  Wheeler  ;  return  of  the  money  put  into 
the  Cameron  Farm  Company  by  him  ;  interest  upon 
both  sums  to  the  present  day  ;  one-sixth  royalty  upon 
the  oil  produced  upon  the  Cameron  farm  ;  full  repay- 


336  Cfje  Spotter* 

ment  of  all  costs,  disbursements  and  attorney's  fees 
in  the  proceedings.  I  have  urged  him  to  demand 
salary  for  the  time  he  has  lost  and  also  exemplary 
damages,  but  upon  this  he  does  not  insist." 

Lanphere  was  white  with  rage  and  for  a  moment 
he  could  not  control  his  trembling  lips  to  the  forma 
tion  of  words. 

"It  is  blackmail !"  he  whispered,  "as  I  expected 
from  the  start.  Blackmail,  you  young  shyster,  and 
no  doubt  you  have  a  bargain  to  take  half  or  two- 
thirds  you  secure  for  your  part  of  the  game.  I  won't 
pay  it.  The  value  of  the  farm  was  fictitious  and  the 
money  never  came  into  the  Cygnet  Company.  I 
won't  pay  it,  I  say !" 

"Very  well ;  then  there  is  no  reason  for  our  further 
delay,"  said  Harry,  picking  up  his  gloves  and  rising. 

"You  can't  milk  money  from  me  to  pay  for 
jWheeler's  dishonesty,"  Lanphere  continued. 

"If  Wheeler  had  been  the  only  dishonest  man  in 
the  transaction  we  would  not  try,"  replied  Harry 
yery  calmly. 

"I  scarcely  knew  the  man.  There  was  no  collusion 
or  agreement  between  us  whatever.  He  came  to  me 
possessing  power  of  attorney  to  act  for  Cameron  and 
the  Cameron  Farm  Company,  and  I  took  the  prop 
erty  at  a  much  lower  price  than  you  declare  in  your 
complaint  was  placed  upon  it.  The  Cygnet  Com 
pany  has  developed  the  territory  and  the  product  is 
in  no  degree  Cameron's.  Any  money  that  Wheeler 


Cfje  Spotter.  337 


may  have  swindled  Cameron  out  of  is  no  concern  of 
ours.  The  Cygnet  Company  has  had  no  part  in  it 
whatever  —  I  have  had  no  part  in  it  whatever." 
"Then  why  did  you  invite  us  here  ?" 
"Because  —  as  I  have  tried  to  explain  to  you,  I  am 
convinced  that  Cameron  did  not  receive  any  pay  for 
his  farm  and  I  do  not  like  to  look  upon  wrong  of 
that  sort.  I  —  that  is,,  the  Cygnet  Company  —  would 
rather  pay  for  the  farm  twice  than  hold  property  in 
which  there  is  any  shadow  of  doubt  concerning  the 
equity  of  the  purchase." 

"Bosh,  Mr.  Lanphere  !  You  are  not  dealing  with 
a  poor  devil  of  a  producer  who  is  driven  to  the  wall 
to  get  money  or  accommodation  to  carry  on  his  ex 
ploitation.  Nor  with  a  man  with  a  territory  who 
never  saw  five  hundred  dollars  at  one  time  in  his 
life.  Your  story  is  pretty  and  well  told,  your  alleged 
object  altruistic,  but  I  have  known  your  real  object 
and  true  character  ever  since  that  day  when  Eli 
Wheeler  went  to  the  Cameron  farm  to  accomplish 
your  purpose  and  you  waited  at  the  Junction  to  learn 
the  result  of  his  visit.  I  stood  beside  you  on  the 
train  when  you  and  Wheeler  met  in  the  aisle,  and  I 
heard  your  question  —  'Is  he  hooked  ?'  and  Wheeler's 
reply,  'Fast  as  hell.'  I  didn't  then  know  what  it 
meant,  but  I  did  very  soon  afterwards,  when  the 
bubble  burst  and  this  man  went  out  from  his  home  a 
penniless  wanderer.  Let  me  assure  you,  Mr.  Lan 
phere,  that  the  most  pleasing  words  I  have  ever  heard 


338  C6e  Spotter* 

in  my  life  are  those  in  which  you  refuse  to  pay  Mr. 
Cameron  his  very  modest  demand." 

"What  evidence  of  conspiracy  is  a  chance  word 
that  may,  or  may  not,  have  been  spoken  by  me  to  a 
man  I  met  on  a  train  ?  And  as  for  a  visit  to  the 
Junction — why,  I  am  constantly  going  everywhere 
to  investigate  property  and  watch  operations.  That 
such  a  visit  was  coincident  with  some  other  transac 
tion  is  not  significant." 

"We  are  not  losing  sleep  over  the  insufficiency  or 
character  of  our  evidence,"  was  Harry's  reply. 

"Mr.  Cameron,"  said  Lanphere,  turning  to  Dun 
can,  "I  appeal  to  you,  as  a  man  of  honesty  and  in 
tegrity,  to  state  whether  you  consider  this  emi 
nently  fair.  I  will  admit  that  through  the  course 
followed  by  Wheeler — a  course  which  I  am  now  con 
vinced  was  cunningly  planned  by  him,  that  suspicion 
might  be  thrown  upon  me,  and  with  the  intent  of 
reaping  for  himself  some  wicked  advantage  in  the 
future — there  is  a  slight  reason  for  your  entertaining 
the  belief  that  you  do.  But,  after  thinking  it  all 
over,  can  you  say  there  is  a  possibility  of  proving 
your  suspicion  to  the  satisfaction  of  a  jury  ?" 

"Your  letters  to  Wheeler,  Mr.  Lanphere,  leave  no 
doubt  whatever  in  my  mind  as  to  that,"  Cameron 
answered,  looking  him  straight  in  the  eyes. 

The  president  of  the  Cygnet  Oil  Producing  and 
Refining  Company  took  a  turn  or  two  across  his  of- 


C&e  Spotter,  339 


fice  floor  and  then  stopping  suddenly  in  front  of 
Harry  said  : 

"I  shall  insist,  Mr.  Edgert,  in  retaining  you  for  a 
little  service  though  you  have  refused  the  proffer  of 
business  at  the  hands  of  the  Cygnet.  You  are  fa 
miliar  with  the  figures  and  details  of  this  matter 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  closed 
at  the  present  time.  You  may  act  for  both  parties 
and  prepare  copies  of  a  stipulation  of  settlement  along 
the  lines  you  have  proposed.  You  see,  I  am  deter 
mined  to  bring  you  into  our  employment." 

"In  this  case,  Mr.  Lanphere,  I  will  act  with  pleas 
ure.  Shall  it  be  at  once  ?" 

"Yes  ;  too  much  time  has  been  lost  upon  it  already. 
I  shall  expect,  gentlemen,  that  all  —  all  documentary 
records  bearing  in  any  way  upon  the  subject  will  be 
surrendered  when  the  stipulation  and  satisfaction  are 
passed." 

"Certainly,"  said  Cameron,  "but  as  the  papers  are 
at  Bradan  it  will  be  necessary  for  one  of  us  to  go 
there  this  evening  and  return  in  the  morning." 

"That  will  be  entirely  satisfactory,"  said  Lanphere 
with  cordiality,  and  he  at  once  plunged  into  a  dis 
cussion  of  other  topics  with  Cameron,  while  Harry 
rapidly  prepared  the  necessary  documents.  Lanphere 
was  never  the  man  to  show  that  he  had  been  hit,  and 
within  five  minutes  he  more  than  hinted  to  Cameron 
that  if  he  wanted  to  invest  the  money  that  would  come 


340  C&e  ^potter, 

to  him,  no  safer  place  could  be  found  than  to  secure 
stock  in  the  Cygnet. 

"I  thank  you,  Mr.  Lanphere,"  was  Cameron's  re 
ply,  "but  I  am  not  looking  for  investment.  This 
money  will  provide  me  a  new  Cameron  farm  far 
enough  from  the  oil  belt  so  that  I  shall  be  sure  it  will 
never  be  the  subject  of  speculation.  There  will  be 
something  left  besides,  and  with  my  work,  if  God 
prospers  it,  none  of  mine  will  ever  come  to  want, 
and  I  may  even  be  able  to  give  assistance  in  deserv 
ing  cases.  I  have  no  desire  for  great  wealth.  More 
than  a  man  requires  for  his  reasonable  maintenance 
is  a  curse.  Such  surplus  when  drawn  from  the  peo 
ple  at  large,  at  the  cost  of  want  and  misery  to  many 
homes,  and  perhaps  ruin  to  the  fond  hopes  and  ex 
pectations  of  those  who  may  have  staked  their  all  in 
some  promising  enterprise,  appears  to  me  to  be  the 
proceeds  of  an  illegitimate  and  unholy  advantage, 
which  has  been  secured  through  unfair  means.  I 
trust  you  will  not  misunderstand  me  when  I  say  that 
there  are  many  higher  aims  for  man  than  the  mere 
pursuit  of  wealth." 

Lanphere  was  about  to  launch  out  upon  his  favorite 
theme  concerning  the  Providential  medium  embodied 
in  the  Cygnet  and  its  Great  Mission  upon  earth, 
when  Harry  arose  and  handed  him  the  papers  he 
had  prepared.  The  shrewd  president  required  but 
a  moment's  examination  of  the  documents  to  see  that 


C&e  Spotter,  341 

there  was  no  fault  in  the  work,  and  he  expressed 
himself  as  entirely  satisfied. 

And  thus  on  the  following  morning  the  business 
was  speedily  concluded.  Cameron  made  the  trip  to 
Bradan  and  Mrs.  Wheeler  gladly  gave  into  his  hands 
every  scrap  of  paper  that  connected  the  shameful  past 
of  her  husband  with  either  Lanphere  or  Cameron. 
With  no  reference  whatever  to  unpleasant  topics, 
Lanphere  affixed  h's  signature  with  that  of  Cameron, 
and  gave  his  check  for  the  stipulated  amount.  So 
far  as  outward  appearances  were  concerned,  he  might 
have  been  merely  taking  over  the  lease  of  a  hundred 
acres  of  wildcat  territory. 

That  afternoon,  as  Cameron  and  Harry  took  the 
train  for  Bradan,  Harry  purchased  the  last  edition 
of  the  evening  paper,  and  as  the  train  left  the  depot 
he  glanced  at  the  market  report. 

"See,  Mr.  Cameron,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  head 
lines,  "the  settlement  of  your  suit  has  not  cost  the 
Cygnet  a  penny.  The  producer  and  the  consumer 
will  foot  the  bill,  and  more  with  it." 

And  Cameron  read  that  in  the  afternoon  the  quo 
tations  on  crude  oil  had  dropped  away  twenty  points, 
while  the  price  on  refined  petroleum  had  risen  fifty 
cents  a  barrel ! 


342  cije  Spotter, 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

ONE   AFTEENOOlSr. 

JTJST  west  of  the  thriving  little  city  of  St. 
James,  Duncan  Cameron  found  the  home  which  he 
sought — a  fertile,  fruitful  farm,  which  ran  back 
from  the  shore  of  a  beautiful  lake  to  a  gentle  hill, 
from  which  there  stretched  on  every  side  a  most 
pleasing  prospect.  Here  came  to  the  members  of  his 
little  circle  that  rest  and  happiness  which  is  given  to 
those  who  contentedly  pursue  congenial  and  active 
lives.  Cameron  devoted  himself  to  his  stock  and 
crops,  but  gave  liberally  of  his  time  and  experience, 
and  often  of  his  means,  to  furthering  the  interests  of 
the  pursuits'  in  which  he  engaged.  Mrs.  Cameron 
and  Agnes  were  most  happy  in  their  home  and  in 
their  intercourse  with  the  friends  of  the  old  days, 
and  such  new  ones  as  time  had  brought  into  their 
lives. 

Almost  fronting  the  Cameron  place  was  the  mod 
est  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tubbs  and  their  daughter. 
The  families  were  inseparable,  and  as  Mr.  Tubbs  had 
prospered  in  his  affairs,  he  had  an  abundance  with 


Spotter,  343 

which,  to  procure  them  a  home  and  to  provide  for 
their  future,  when  his  thrift  and  activity  were  no 
longer  possible.  His  complete  happiness  was  ex 
pressed  in  a  remark  to  Mr.  Fisher,  whom  he  met  in 
the  city  one  day. 

"It  takes  pretty  near  all  of  one's  life  to  learn  how 
to  live,"  he  said.  "But  if  the  lesson  is  well  learned, 
you  can  get  enough  satisfaction  outen  one  year  of 
right  livin'  to  pay  for  all  the  other  years  of  hard 
experience." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  had  a  pleasant  home  in  the 
city,  and  as  Mrs.  Fisher  had  long  ago  learned  that  the 
bauble  she  so  eagerly  chased  through  the  first  years 
of  their  affluence  was  a  mere  puff  of  pretense,  they, 
too,  were  to  be  counted  among  the  contented  ones. 

But  there  are  others  of  our  old  friends  in  this 
charming  little  city,  and  one  of  them  is  Harry  Ed- 
gert,  who  mysteriously  left  a  good  clientage  in  Ole- 
ford  and  opened  an  office  in  St.  James,  offering  no 
further  excuse  for  the  change  than  to  say  that  as  his 
dear  friend  Dr.  Ross  had  given  up  his  prosperous 
practice  in  Bradan  and  was  moving  to  the  city,  he 
wished  to  accompany  him.  These  two  were  almost 
constant  companions,  and  what  more  natural  than 
that  they  should  frequently — very  frequently,  indeed 
— take  their  way  along  the  pleasant  lake  shore  road, 
or  row  their  boat  through  the  outlet  of  the  lake  itself 
to  the  Cameron  Landing  ? 

It  was  an  afternoon  in  late  summer — just  when 


344  C|)e 

the  harvest  apples  lose  their  glistening  green  and  are 
seen  all  golden  against  the  banks  of  leaves;  when 
mellow  tints  come  to  the  fields  and  set  them  ablaze 
with  the  stored-up  glory  of  the  ripening  suns  of  long, 
hot  weeks — an  afternoon  that  brought  the  first  faint 
breath  of  the  spicy  breezes  of  autumn,  and  gave  to 
the  lake  which  shimmered  so  brightly  through  the 
orchard  branches  a  tinge  of  the  violet  that  comes  so 
deeply  when  the  season  lengthens  to  the  time  of  frosts. 
Out  upon  the  water  a  few  sail-boats  drifted  lazily 
with  the  light  wind,  and  little  spots  here  and  there 
indicated  that  the  trollers  were  taking  advantage 
of  the  last  few  days  of  the  open  season  for  bass. 

"Oh,  it  is  at  all  times  such  a  beautiful  sight,"  said 
Agnes,  "that  I  never  tire  of  it." 

"No,"  replied  Betsey,  "one  cannot  tire  of  a  view 
that  is  never  for  two  hours  changed.  The  shadows, 
the  waves,  the  tinge  of  the  water,  the  mirrored  re 
flection  of  the  clouds,  the  sweeping  curves  of  foam 
left  by  steamers  or  sail-boats,  the  sparkle  from  oar- 
blades,  and  the  drive  of  tumbling  white-caps  are  ever 
presenting  new  effects." 

They  were  seated  under  one  of  the  big  apple  trees 
in  Mr.  Cameron's  orchard,  and  close  beside  them  ran 
the  well-beaten  path  that  led  down  to  boat-house  and 
landing.  It  was  a  favorite  place  for  reading  and 
study,  and  the  books  over  which  they  had  been  por 
ing  now  lay  closed  on  the  square  of  canvas  that 
formed  their  carpet. 


Cf)e  Spotter,  345 

"We  have  all  been  so  happy  here,"  said  Agnes, 
"that  I  often  fear  something  will  happen  to  disturb 
it." 

"Oh,  no,  dear,  you  must  not  think  that,"  and 
Betsey  took  her  companion's  hand.  "God  does  not 
seek  out  those  who  are  happy  and  contented  as  espe 
cial  subjects  upon  whom  to  visit  trouble.  That  we 
are  happy  here  and  now,  is  of  itself  no  reason  why 
that  happiness  should  be  broken,  and  though  sick 
ness  or  death,  or  other  distress  may  come  at  any  mo 
ment,  I  cannot  believe  that  it  would  be  sent  to  us 
because  we  are  now  favored  with  every  wish  that 
heart  could  desire." 

"What  a  wise  little  philosopher  you  have  become, 
Betsey.  I  really  do  not  know  where  you  get  all  your 
ideas,  for  while  I  study  as  hard  as  you  and  try  to 
gain  a  store  of  wisdom,  I  never  have  an  original 
thought,  or  even  a  borrowed  one,  which  I  can  adapt 
to  an  occasion  ? 

Betsey's  eyes  danced  with  mischief.  "Mr.  Edgert 
says  it  was  an  original  idea  on  your  part  when  you 
insisted  that  your  wedding  should  take  place  in  the 
little  church  which  your  father  and  mother  used  to 
attend  in  Scotland,"  she  said. 

"Well —  '  and  Agnes  blushed  very  prettily,  "it 
was  not  an  idea — simply  an  impulse.  I  haven't  told 
you  about  it,  have  I,  and  I  promised  to  do  so,  too." 

"There's  hardly  been  time,  for  it  was  decided  only 


346  ct)e  Spotter* 

the  night  before  last,  and  I  saw  you  but  a  few  mo 
ments  yesterday." 

"You  see  it  was  this  way:  Harry  was  urging  me 
to  set  a  date  in  October  upon  which  to  be  mar 
ried,  and  to  decide  where  we  should  go  for  our 
wedding-trip.  It  flashed  upon  me — why  not  get  papa 
and  mamma  to  make  their  intended  visit  to  their  old 
home  right  away  and  I  go  with  them,  while  Harry, 
if  he  wanted  me  badly  enough,  could  follow  us  and 
wed  me  in  Scotland. 

"  'Harry,'  I  said  in  a  tragically  solemn  voice,  'you 
have  told  me  many  times  that  you  love  me  very 
deeply.' 

"  'Yes,  dear,  and  I  do,'  he  replied,  looking  rather 
surprised  and  just  a  little  bit  alarmed. 

"  'Do  you  love  me  well  enough,  Harry,  to  follow 
me — well,  say  to  Scotland  ?' 

"  'To  Scotland,  Agnes !  Yes,  to  the  end  of  the 
world  and  back  again,  a  dozen  times  over.  But  why 
do  you  ask  that,  dear  ?' 

"  'Because,  Harry,  I  am  going  to  Scotland  with 
my  father  and  mother,  late  in  September,  and  if  you 
will  come  to  Dunoon  we  will  be  married  on  the  six 
teenth  of  October  in  the  little  kirk  they  attended 
when  they  were  children.' 

"It  was  an  awful  risk,  Betsey,  for  I  didn't  know 
what  father  would  say  about  it,  though  I  felt  rather 
sure  about  mother.  Ever  since  Harry  and  I  prom 
ised  to  make  our  home  here  with  them,  they  have 


Cfje  Spotter,  347 


been  willing  to  do  anything  I  asked,  and  so  I  went 
ahead,  half  in  jest,  planning  the  wedding  as  though 
it  had  been  arranged  between  us  at  home.  And 
Harry,  the  dear  old  dunce,  fell  in  with  the  plan 
as  if  it  were  the  cleverest  idea  in  the  world.  Before 
he  left  we  had  arranged  for  the  remainder  of  our 
trip  and  had  the  time  set  for  our  home-coming.  I 
saw  then  that  I  would  just  have  to  win  the  consent 
of  papa  and  mamma,  for  it  would  never  do  to  back 
out  after  it  was  all  understood  with  Harry.  But 
that  was  the  easiest  part  of  it,  for  they  have  been  in 
tending  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  old  home  either  this  fall 
or  in  the  spring,  and  the  thought  of  having  their 
daughter  married  there  was  pleasing  to  both.  Father 
did  not  wait  a  moment  after  we  had  decided  it  before 
he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Kev.  David  Purdee  at  Du- 
noon,  telling  him  that  we  were  coming,  and  asking 
him  if  it  would  be  agreeable  to  him  to  have  the  wed 
ding  in  his  church.  It  is  going  to  be  just  splendid  — 
all  but  one  thing.  There's  just  one  feature  to  regret, 
dear,"  concluded  Agnes,  putting  her  arms  around 
Betsey's  waist. 

"And  that  is  what,  you  dear  child  ?" 

"I  wanted  you  with  me  at  the  time  of  my  marriage, 
Betsey.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  shall  not  be  happy  if 
you  are  absent." 

"Yes,  yes,  you  will,  Agnes.  I  shall  be  with  you 
in  constant  love  and  good  wishes." 

"Will  you  not  come  with  us,  Betsey  ?    Father  and 


348  C&e 

mother  are  both  going  to  urge  you,  and  you  know  it 
is  my  dearest  wish." 

Betsey's  lips  trembled  and  tears  filled  her  eyes. 
The  thought  of  even  a  temporary  separation  from  her 
sweet  companion  saddened  her,  but  she  did  not  wish 
to  leave  her  parents  entirely  alone.  She  was  on  the 
point  of  replying  when  their  attention  was  drawn  to 
Harry  Edgert,  who  was  approaching  from  the  land 
ing. 

"What  can  be  so  interesting,"  he  called,  "that  you 
should  have  neither  eyes  nor  ears  for  the  anxious 
visitors  who  have  been  waiting  for  a  welcome  at  the 
landing  for  at  least  ten  minutes?  And  you  espe 
cially,  Betsey,  who  was  never  known  to  refuse  a 
chance  to  take  a  boat  ride — do  you  not  know  that  Dr. 
Ross  has  been  resting  upon  his  oars  until  he  has  again 
grown  weary,  and  hallooing  until  he  is  hoarse  from 
the  vain  attempt  to  attract  your  notice?" 

"I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it,"  replied  Agnes.  "You 
stole  up  to  the  landing  as  quietly  as  possible,  proba 
bly  with  muffled  oars,  hoping  to  surprise  us,  and  you 
have  been  talking  in  whispers  if  at  all." 

"At  any  rate  you  cannot  deny  the  evidence  of  the 
waiting  boatman,  who  sent  me  forward  to  beg  the 
fair  lady  to  accept  the  tender  of  an  hour's  row,"  and 
Harry  swept  his  hat  from  his  head  and  bowed  low 
before  the  ladies. 

Betsey  flushed  through  the  smile  she  gave  Harry. 
"Oh,  of  course  I  will  go,"  she  said.  "As  you  say,  I 


C&e  Spotter*  349 

was  never  known  to  refuse  a  ride  on  the  lake,  in 
storm  or  in  calm,  and  I  certainly  would  not  do  so 
at  this  time  when  two  lovers  are  quite  impatient  for 
me  to  be  off,  so  that  they  may  have  the  whole  orchard 
to  themselves."  And  she  ran  from  them  down  the 
path. 

"And  two  other  lovers,"  said  Harry,  dropping 
upon  the  canvas  beside  Agnes,  "who  are  just  as  im 
patient  to  get  away  from  everybody  else  and  have 
the  whole  lake  to  themselves." 

"Is  it  true,  doctor,"  said  Betsey,  as  she  came  to 
the  landing,  "that  you  delegated  Mr.  Edgert  to  in 
vite  me  upon  a  ride  ?" 

"Indeed,  it  is,  and  I  beg  your  pardon  for  not  com 
ing  in  person.  I  had  a  little  work  upon  the  rudder, 
as  one  of  the  lines  was  loosened,  and  I  asked  Harry 
to  say  to  you  that  the  trolling  ought  to  be  good  this 
afternoon,  and  if  you  cared  for  it  we  would  go  out 
for  an  hour." 

She  took  her  place  in  the  boat  and  they  moved  out 
upon  the  lake.  Would  she  throw  the  spoon  and  hold 
the  line  ?  the  doctor  asked.  Yes,  if  the  doctor  wished, 
though  :he  thought  fishing  might  not  be  good  here 
in  the  path  of  so  many  boats.  Would  it  not  be  a  better 
plan  to  keep  close  in-shore  and  row  around  toward 
Long  Point,  where  the  water  lilies  are  now  at  their 
best  ?  The  doctor  was  delighted  to  do  this,  for  they 
could  then  run  out  to  the  deeper  water  and  troll  on 
their  return  trip.  Whereupon  they  fell  into  a  dis- 


350  CJje  Spotter, 

cussion  concerning  the  merits  of  different  fishing 
tackle,  and  the  success  of  skittering  for  bass  in-shore 
as  compared  with  trolling  further  out. 

But  a  man  who  is  very  much  in  love  with  a  woman 
cannot  be  kept  discussing  fishing-tackle  with  her  all 
afternoon;  and  a  woman  who  is  very  much  in  love 
with  a  man,  but  ctill  is  afraid  to  have  him  speak, 
cannot  forever  find  subjects  that  will  keep  him  away 
from  the  point. 

They  were  floating  now  among  the  lily  pads — the 
graceful  green  saucers  with  their  cups  of  purest  white 
and  decorated  centers  of  yellow.  Betsey  would  not 
pick  them,  although  the  doctor  hunted  out  the  very 
largest  and  brightest,  and  rowed  the  boat  close  be 
side  them.  They  were  so  much  more  beautiful,  she 
said,  floating  here  upon  the  cool,  dark  water  than 
they  would  be  in  any  other  place. 

Had  Agnes  Cameron  said  anything  about  the  some 
what  novel  plan  for  her  marriage  with  Harry  ?  Yes, 
yes,  she  had  been  telling  something  about  it  this  after 
noon;  but  really,  didn't  the  doctor  think  it  very 
strange  that  the  lily  stems  should  reach  up  and  up, 
so  many  yards  through  the  water,  and  then  when 
they  came  to  the  surface  send  out  such  beautiful 
blossoms  ? 

Ross  caught  the  overhanging  branches  of  a  great 
willow,  whose  trunk,  bent  down  by  a  storm  years 
before,  lay  out  over  the  water  and  formed  a  natural 
landing.  He  drew  the  boat  into  one  of  the  forks  of 


Cbe  Spotter*  351 

a  huge,  crooked  limb,  and  when  the  craft  was  quite 
secure  he  seated  himself  beside  the  woman  who  re 
mained  so  still  and  demure,  dipping  one  hand  over 
the  side  of  the  boat  into  the  limpid  water,  with  throb 
bing  heart  and  blanched  face,  yet  with  a  joy  she  could 
not  control. 

"The  groping  of  the  water  lilies  from  the  dark  bot 
tom  of  the  lake  through  a  fathom  of  water,  pushing 
on  toward  the  sun,  which  draws  them  and  which  they 
love,  is  just  a  type  of  my  own  life,"  he  said,  taking 
her  hand.  "Love  brought  me  here  from  Scotland, 
though  I  came  with  a  heavy  heart,  not  knowing  that 
it  would  ever  be  my  right  to  declare  that  love.  Love 
and  respect,  each  day  growing  stronger,  have  kept  me 
from  saying  what  has  been  so  constantly  in  my  heart, 
until  the  time  has  come  when  I  may  speak.  It  is 
love  for  you,  Betsey,  and  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
you  must  have  known  it  all  along.  But  I  came  this 
afternoon  to  let  you  know  it  from  my  lips,  and  to  ask 
you  if  there  may  not  be  two  weddings,  on  the  six 
teenth  of  October,  in  dear  old  Dunoon,  where  I  first 
saw  you  ?" 

Whether  there  were  tears  of  happiness  in  her  eyes, 
or  whether  he  heard  from  her  lips  some  word  which 
gave  him  the  right,  cannot  be  told,  for  when  she 
raised  her  head  and  looked  into  his  face,  the  lover 
caught  her  in  his  arms  and  their  lips  met  in  kisses 
that  she  did  not  care  to  resist. 

They  came  home  in  the  twilight,  far  beyond  the 


352  C&e  Spotter* 

hour  which  they  had  set  for  their  return,  and  found 
Agnes  and  Harry  waiting  for  them  at  the  landing. 

"Where  are  the  fish  ?"  asked  Harry  as  the  boat 
approached. 

"In  the  lake/'  answered  the  doctor.  "We  haven't 
uncoiled  a  line !" 

"You  must  have  -had  a  long  ride,"  said  Agnes. 

"iSTo,  not  very  long,"  replied  Betsey,  demurely. 
"We  went  in-shore  around  the  bay  through  the  lily 
pads  to  Long  Point,  and  then  straight  home." 

"Oh,  and  it  took  you  all  this  time?" 

"Yes,"  very  innocently.  "We  did  not  row  rapidly, 
the  lake  was  so  perfectly  lovely  to-day." 

"Indeed !    Did  you  bring  any  lilies  ?" 

"No,  dear,  they  were  too  beautiful  to  pick." 

"Ah,  ha,  I  know  where  you  have  been,"  said  Agnes, 
at  that  moment  observing  twigs  and  leaves  of  willow 
in  the  boat.  "Harry,  they've  been  all  this  time  in  the 
branches  of  the  old  leaning  willow.  You  and  I  know 
what  a  cosy  place  it  is  in  which  to  hide,  don't  we  ?" 

"Indeed,  we  do,"  said  Harry,  laughingly,  as  he 
caught  the  doctor's  hand  to  help  him  up  to  put  off 
the  boat.  "For  we  were  there  on  the  same  errand." 

"Betsey,"  said  Agnes,  throwing  her  arms  around 
her  friend's  shoulders,  "look  me  straight  in  the  eyes 
and  tell  me  if  you  are  going  with  me  to  Scotland." 

"Hush,  hush,  you  tease;  of  course,  I  am!" 


C6e  ^potter,  353 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  WEDDING  DAY. 

WHAT  a  delightful  party  took  passage  on  the 
steamer  sailing  for  Glasgow  on  the  first  Saturday 
in  October ! 

There  were,  first,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Duncan  Cameron 
going  back  to  their  old  home  upon  what  they  de 
clared  was  their  wedding-trip;  and  with  them  their 
daughter,  Agnes.  Next  in  order  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  Tulbs,  won  from  their  home  by  the  persuasion 
of  their  friends;  and  their  handsome  daughter,  Mrs. 
Wheeler,  who  was  most  solicitous  at  all  times  for 
their  comfort  and  pleasure.  And  then  there  were 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Edgert,  no  longer  in  the  hotel 
business,  but  "just  looking  around  the  world  a  bit 
before  settling  down."  With  them  were  their  three 
daughters,  all  vivacious  and  accomplished  young 
women,  and  Harry,  who  was  ever  the  life  of  any 
party  in  which  he  had  place.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arad 
Fisher,  too,  who  were  always  pleased  to  take  a  jaunt 
in  good  company,  and  who  thought  of  spending  the 
winter  at  a  quiet  place  in  the  south  of  France.  And 


354  Cfje  Spotter* 

Dr.  William  Ross,  a  serious  man  upon  most  occasions, 
but  now  as  full  of  buoyant  spirits  and  keen  humor 
as  one  who  might  have  had  his  nativity  in  the 
Emerald  Isle  instead  of  in  the  land  of  fogs. 

What  pranks  they  played  upon  each  other  when 
out  at  sea !  What  songs  they  sung,  and  stories  they 
told,  and  how  the  cabin  echoed  with  laughter,  and 
when  had  the  deck  held  another  such  congenial  party  ? 

Did  such  a  guileless,  innocent,  happy  old  fellow 
as  Mr.  Tubbs  ever  before  make  voyage  across  the  At 
lantic,  scattering  his  quaint  philosophy  and  homely 
sayings  over  everybody  from  the  captain  to  the  cabin 
boy,  and  not  forgetting  his  fellow-passengers,  with 
every  one  of  whom  he  was  on  speaking  terms  before 
the  close  of  the  second  day  out  ? 

Did  a  ship  on  the  Glasgow  line  ever  carry  a  pas 
senger  who  knew  more  about  ships  and  shipping, 
sailors  and  sailing,  fish  and  fishing,  than  Dr.  Ross; 
and  was  there  such  another  who  could  relate  with 
sober  countenance  and  convincing  tone  of  voice  so 
many  absurd  yarns  about  the  sea? 

Did  captain,  passengers  or  crew  ever  spend  seven 
days  with  one  who  could  laugh  with  more  infectious 
heartiness,  or  turn  a  sally  of  wit  more  adroitly  than 
the  elder  Edgert? 

Was  there  in  all  the  world  one  with  more  resources 
at  his  command,  more  mischief  in  his  make-up,  or 
greater  tenderness  in  his  love  than  Harry  ? 

Or,  did  any  traveller  ever  meet  a  man  who,  bjr 


potter*  355 

every  movement  and  act,  by  every  word  and  look, 
betrayed  more  complete  happiness  than  that  possessed 
by  Duncan  Cameron? 

And  the  ladies,  old  and  young,  like  sisters  all,  or  a 
company  of  school  girls  out  on  a  summer  vacation, 
vieing  with  each  other  in  the  part  they  might  take  to 
make  this  holiday  one  never  to  be  forgotten. 

The  days  and  nights  sped  too  quickly,  and  the 
travellers  came  to  Glasgow  before  they  were  ready 
that  the  voyage  should  end.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Purdee 
met  them  in  that  city,  welcoming  his  old  friends  with 
affection,  and  greeting  the  new  acquaintances  with 
warmth. 

"I  tell  you,  Willie  Boss,"  he  said  to  the  doctor 
when  they  were  at  the  hotel  where  rooms  had  been  en 
gaged  for  the  party,  "the  news  of  the  coming  events 
has  made  a  great  stir  down  in  Dunoon." 

"Davie,  you  haven't  been  spreading  it  down  there, 
have  you?" 

"Indeed,  I  had  no  occasion  to  do  so,  for  it  doesn't 
take  a  paper  to  circulate  a  bit  of  gossip  in  a  Scotch 
village.  When  I  received  Mr.  Cameron's  second  let 
ter,  giving  me  his  word  that  you  were  about  to  apply 
for  my  services  upon  an  important  occasion  in  your 
life,  I  called  upon  Granny  Seaton  and  told  her  as 
much  about  it  as  I  thought  she  could  bear  at  one 
sitting.  Before  an  hour  the  whole  village  knew  it, 
and  the  news  was  travelling  to  the  country.  Why, 
lad,  you  are  blushing." 


356  cjie  Spotter, 

"It  is  high  time  that  he  did,"  said  Agnes,  "for  all 
the  way  over  he  has  been  telling  us  the  most  extrava 
gant  stories  about  the  adventures  of  the  fisher-folk 
and  sailors  from  his  old  home.  It  would  be  strange 
if  his  conscience  did  not  reproach  him  now  that  he 
is  nearing  the  scenes  of  these  marvellous  adventures 
and  is  likely  to  meet  some  of  the  characters  face  to 
face." 

"Never  mind !  They  will  have  opportunity  to  re 
turn  it  all  and  with  interest  at  the  reception  on  the 
day  of  the  wedding,"  declared  Mr.  Purdee,  laughing. 

"Heavens,  Davie,  is  it  to  be  a  reception?"  asked 
Ross  in  astonishment. 

"Why,  man,  of  course  it  is.  Hasn't  Mr.  Cameron 
told  you — "  The  minister  paused,  seeing  that  he 
had  unwittingly  disclosed  a  secret. 

"It  may  as  well  come  out  first  as  last,"  said  Dun 
can,  meeting  their  inquiring  looks  with  a  laugh.  "I 
have  not  had  the  courage  to  tel]  you  before,  but  now 
that  Davie  is  here  to  stand  by  me,  I  will  make  a  con 
fession.  I  wrote  him  that  if  he  considered  it  proper, 
he  might  arrange  for  a  genuine  Scotch  wedding,  and 
I  conclude  that  he  has  done  so." 

"That  I  have,  Duncan,  and  for  a  fortnight  the 
country  around  Dunoon  has  been  preparing  for  noth 
ing  else.  Why,  on  the  Sabbath  it  was  almost  impos 
sible  to  get  the  folk  to  give  attention  to  the  sermon, 
so  full  are  they  of  the  coming  event.  The  details  are 
complete,  and  Dunoon  impatiently  awaits  the  hour 


C6e  Spotter,  357 


when  it  may  show  its  American  guests  what  is  meant 
by  a  Scotch  welcome." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Purdee  did  not  overstate  the  situa 
tion  at  the  little  village.  For  several  days,  Sandy 
McLouth  had  been  riding  back  and  forth  making 
preparations  for  the  wedding  feast  which  Duncan 
Cameron  intended  to  give  the  people  of  his  native 
town.  The  guid  wives  entered  heartily  into  the  event, 
for  Sandy  said  the  siller  was  plenty  and  each  was 
to  receive  pay  for  what  should  be  furnished.  The 
Craigs  and  the  Laings  (distant  relatives  of  Mrs. 
Cameron)  were  to  furnish  fowls,  and  it  was  told  it 
the  smithy  that  at  least  a  hundred  would  be  provided 
for  the  occasion.  Hams  and  bacon  were  ordered 
from  the  McLeans  and  the  Lambs  —  neighbors  who 
were  famous  for  the  excellence  of  their  breed  of  pigs, 
and  who  knew  better  than  any  others  how  to  cure  and 
bring  to  perfection  the  product.  David  Hoag  dressed 
his  fattest  steer,  and  it  was  to  be  roasted  in  a  brick 
oven  built  for  the  purpose  by  Archie  MacDonald. 
Auld  Dannie  Cummings  and  her  two  daughters  and 
daughter-in-law  were  busy  for  days  mixing  together 
rich  butter,  flour  and  sugar,  and  baking  short  bread 
that  could  not  be  excelled  in  Scotland.  To  the  Mc 
Kays  and  Thompsons  was  given  the  contract  for  the 
fish,  and  Marget  Campbell  and  Bell  Douglas  made 
great  baskets  full  of  toothsome  oatmeal  cakes.  Other 
families  were  to  furnish  white  bread,  marmalade, 


358 

sweeties,  jam  and  cheese — all  in  abundance,  for  none 
was  to  stop  short  of  eating  his  fill. 

The  feast  was  to  be  served  on  the  great  floor  of 
Willie  MacKie's  new  barn,  and  long  white  boards 
were  brought  from  the  sawmill  and  formed  into 
benches  and  tables  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
guests. 

The  baggis — 

"Great  chieftain  o*  the  puddin'-race," 

without  which  no  wedding  feast  in  the  "land  o'  braw 
lads  and  bonnie  lassies"  would  be  complete — was 
product  of  the  combined  skill  of  Mrs.  McCritchie 
and  Jean  McAllister.  As  befitted  its  importance, 
place  was  made  for  it  in  the  center  of  the  long  table, 
and  when  the  time  came  to  serve  it,  the  brides  tucked 
up  the  dainty  laces  in  their  sleeves,  and  with  their 
most  gracious  wishes,  sent  generous  slices  round  the 
board. 

To  Bobbie  Cruickshank,  a  man  of  rare  discretion, 
Sandy  had  entrusted  the  duty  of  serving  the  spirits. 

"Ye  are  no'  to  be  sparin',  Bobbie,"  said  McLouth, 
"but  I'm  no'  tellin'  ye  that  ye  are  to  dispose  it  too 
freely.  Gie  each  mon  his  fu',  but  na  more  than  his 
fu',  for  we  dinna  want  oor  American  veesitors  to  hae 
the  impression  that  we  are  a  drinkin'  folk.  I  wud  be 
ashamed  ta  sae  any  mon  drunk,  even  Jock  McTavish, 
who  gets  fu'  wi  a  smell  of  the  cork.  It  wad  na 


Cfte  Spotter,  359 


speak  weel  for  the  toon.  I'm  thinkin'  that  it  wad  be 
wisdom  ta  mix  the  whusky  well  wi'  water  for  the 
first  twa  or  three  rounds,  and  after  they  ha'  had  their 
fling  at  the  tables  ye  can  gie  it  ta  them  a  bit 
stronger." 

"Ye  may  hae  na  fear,  McLouth,"  said  Bobbie,  re 
assuringly.  "There's  nae  a  mon  in  Dunoon  whose 
capacity  I  dinna  ken.  I'll  send  them  a'  hame  sober, 
but  happy."  And  faithfully  he  kept  his  word. 

At  noon  in  the  little  kirk,  filled  to  its  utmost  with 
the  excited  and  gossiping  throng,  the  marriage  cere 
mony  was  said,  and  the  two  couples  went  out  to 
mingle  in  the  rejoicings  of  their  friends.  There  were 
those  in  Dunoon  who  held  that  Dominie  Purdee 
missed  the  opportunity  of  his  life  to  exhort  the  con 
gregation,  but  he  let  them  go  with  a  prayer  and  a 
benediction  that  were  mercifully  brief. 

If  you  should  chance  to  visit  Dunoon  to-day,  you 
would  find  those  who  would  be  able  to  give  a  descrip 
tion  of  the  festivities  which  followed  the  ceremony 
in  the  kirk.  They  would  tell  you  of  the  abundance 
of  the  feast,  which  never  lacked  in  variety  or  quality, 
though  the  tables  were  filled  many  times.  You  would 
hear  of  Duncan  Cameron's  speech  and  the  cheers 
which  followed  it;  and  also  of  the  speech  of  a  little, 
sharp,  old  cricket  of  a  man,  "father  of  the  bonnie 
lady  whom  Willie  Ross  married."  They  would  de 
scribe  the  reels  and  jigs  to  the  music  of  fiddle  and 
pipes,  in  which  the  brides  and  grooms  took  part  with' 


360  C&e  Spotter, 

as  keen  zest  and  full  enjoyment  as  the  lads  and  lasses 
of  the  native  heath.  They  would  relate  how  the 
graver  folk  gathered  in  groups  under  the  trees  on 
that  beautiful  October  afternoon,  and  as  song  and 
shout  of  revelry  came  from  the  broad  floor  of  the 
barn,  smiled  indulgently  and  pretended  not  to  hear; 
or,  with  no  outward  evidence  of  curiosity,  sought 
points  of  vantage  whence  they  could  look  upon  the 
merry  revellers,  remembering  in  their  hearts  when 
they  were  like  these  and  danced  the  happy  hours 
away. 

And  then — they  would  not  forget  this — they  would 
tell  you  how,  when  the  carriage  came  to  take  away  the 
quartette  in  whose  honor  the  festival  had  been  held, 
when  the  stockings  and  old  shoes  were  ready  to  throw, 
and  every  hand  not  otherwise  occupied  was  filled  with 
rice  to  shower,  the  two  beautiful  brides  stood  upon 
the  seat  of  the  carriage,  with  the  two  stalwart  grooms 
supporting  them,  and  waved  their  pretty  hands  and 
called  with  voices  filled  with  love : — 

"Good-by !  Good-by !  We  love  you  all !  Good-by ! 
Good-by!" 


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